AN MP told a packed meeting of former miners that he intends to apply pressure at the highest level of Government to speed up the processing of compensation claims for victims of lung disease.

North Durham MP Kevan Jones organised the meeting at East Stanley Workingmen's Club, County Durham, which was attended by more than 250 people.

He pledged to join the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) to organise a regional committee to monitor Government efforts to deliver its pledge to grant £6bn in compensation to victims of the lung disease emphysema.

Mr Jones also criticised the Government for setting up a claims processing office in Manchester and not the North-East, which has a higher level of claims.

At the meeting, representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (Dti), solicitors, the NHS and the NUM tried to answer criticisms levelled by former miners and their families.

After the meeting, Mr Jones said: "The number of people here shows just how big the problem and concern is. It is good for people processing the claims to understand just how big an issue this is, and understand people's problems."

One ex-miner and emphysema victim, who declined to be named but worked at the now-closed pit at Pelton Fell for 27 years, said he had applied for compensation seven years ago, but had only just received an interim payment.

"It is taking years and they have hardly started. The trouble is people are dying all the time from this disease before they receive justice," he said.

Others said the Government should use lung specialist medics from overseas to speed up medical examinations.

Dti representative Jeremy Cousins said: "One of the major problems is the entire process is bogged down with legal ramifications which we are trying to get round as much as we can.

"There are only about 600 to 700 lung specialists who have the knowledge to deal with this, and we have contacted them as a matter of urgency to help speed this up."