MP welcomes record pay out for miners.

29 March 2005

Don Valley MP Caroline Flint has welcomed the record payout for coal health claims to retired miners and their families.

The Don Valley MP met Trade & Industry Minister, Nigel Griffiths, this week to discuss progress of the compensation scheme.

Said Ms Flint: "The Labour Government has paid out £48 million to my constituents for respiratory or vibration white finger claims. Over 4,736 claimants have received their compensation payments and another 800 have received final offers."

The coal health compensation scheme is the largest industrial injury scheme in the world, with over £1.3 billion having been paid out. Ms Flint has already assisted hundreds of retired miners with outstanding claims, and has pledged to continue helping miners until all claims are completed.

As the claims date as far back as the 1950s, many of the payments are to the families of diseased miners.

"The Government is doing its best to resolve claims as quickly as possible, tackling claims of the most vulnerable miners first. These payments are just awards to people whose health suffered because of their work in our collieries."

NOTE TO PICTURE:
Caroline Flint with Energy Minister Nigel Griffiths showing the total payments received to date to Don Valley mining families.