TWO North-East Labour MPs last night turned up the heat on the Government over delays in compensation payments to dying miners and their families.

Fraser Kemp and Gerry Steinberg are demanding urgent action to ensure that thousands of claims made on behalf of miners suffering from life-threatening lung diseases are processed as quickly as possible.

Their comments came ahead of a public meeting, organised by The Northern Echo and Easington District Council, which aims to highlight problems caused by the delays and help find a solution.

Mr Kemp, who is Labour MP for Houghton and Washington East, pledged to take directly to the Government any recommendations which come from the meeting.

He said: "We have just got to get a grip on this. It is a very big problem and a mammoth task to deal with the large number of people involved.

"But, nevertheless, the delays we are seeing are unacceptable. There has to be practical measures whereby we can circumvent the delays which people are experiencing."

Durham City Labour MP Gerry Steinberg said he was in regular contact with ex-miners and their widows in his constituency who have submitted claims.

Nationally, more than 110,000 claims for diseases caused by coal dust, worth billions of pounds, have been submitted, yet only one miner has received a full payout.

Mr Steinberg said: "I have written to Helen Liddell, Minister of Energy at the Department of Trade Industry, on several occasions.

"This government pledged to settle claims quickly. Obviously things have gone badly wrong and something needs to be done urgently about the procedures.

"I am deeply distressed by the long wait being experienced by those who are in real suffering and cannot afford to wait any longer."

Last night, a spokesman for Mrs Liddell's department said she was still considering an invitation to the public meeting being held at Seaham Leisure Centre, on Monday, at 7pm.

Easington MP John Cummings, County Durham NUM chiefs, and claimants' solicitors have already promised to attend.

l Miner's daughter Pat Daglish, who has collected more than 2,000 signatures on a petition urging Prime Minister Tony Blair to speed up the compensation process, will be at the Burnhope Vintage Car Rally tomorrow and Sunday.

She will also be at Asda in Stanley all day Wednesday and Friday. To contact her, ring (01207) 238570