A GOVERNMENT minister yesterday pledged that all the families of former miners whose health suffered from working down the pits will be compensated in full.

Energy Minister Brian Wilson made the promise about claims on behalf of former mineworkers who suffered from lung disease and Vibration White Finger (VWF).

More than £1bn has already been paid out to more than 80,000 ex-miners at a rate of almost £1.5m a day, but many more claims are yet to be settled.

Many of the claimants come from the North-East where former miners have either died, or are seriously ill, as a result of illnesses contracted during their time in the region's coalfields.

During Commons question time, Mr Wilson also confirmed that the cut-off date for posthumous VWF claims, due to run out yesterday, had been extended for three months.

He told MPs: "There is absolutely no complacency. We are just going to keep the pressure, and the momentum up, until every claim is paid in full, and I stress again every claim will be paid in full. These are not capped schemes."

Liberal Democrat David Heath (Somerton and Frome) called for more publicity about compensation to widows and families of former miners.

Mr Wilson responded: "It's not as if no widows' claims have been received. There are 11,000 widows' claims for Vibration White Finger, but it's because I think there are a lot more out there that have not been identified that I have given this extension.''

The compensation did not "disappear" following the death of the miner, but transferred to their families, said Mr Wilson.

He said: "There is no vested interest for the Government in anything other than paying out the money as fast as possible.''

Mr Wilson said "nothing must stand in the way" of getting as many full and final payments of compensation to the oldest and frailest ill miners first, or their widows.

Apart from the cut-off date for widows' claims, he said he was very wary of giving any deadline for respiratory claims generally.