Health payments for more miners

Thousands of ex-miners are seeking compensation

Ex-miners who were told they did not qualify for health compensation are to be allowed to make claims.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has announced that former colliers suffering from asthma - a condition for which British Coal was not found liable - will now be able to claim damages.

An extra £30m is being set aside by the government so that the payments can be made to the miners and to miners' widows.

Blair said difficulties had prevented paying compensation

The news comes just days after an announcement that up to 100,000 British miners forced to retire early because of work-related chest problems would have their pensions topped up in a £400m deal.

Mr Blair told the Welsh Labour conference on Friday that £1m was going to miners daily, but he wanted to speed up the process.

"We anticipate that we will be able to make offers in Britain ranging from £7,200 to £14,500 to up to 2,000 claimants who would not previously have been eligible for such offers," he said.

Lung tests

An initial 800 offers will be made over the next two weeks but further claimants still to have the lung tests could also fall into this category.

Mr Blair also announced more interim payments to some 4,700 widows who had previously received bereavement awards.

"After years when the Tories fought compensation in the courts, it is this Labour government that is clearing up the mess and delivering for our mining communities."

Many miners had developed lung diseases

The compensation is targeted at retired mine workers whose health was damaged as a result of working for British Coal after 1954 - when the risks were known.

The scheme is the biggest of its kind in legal history with 138,000 claims already lodged and 1,000 new claims every week.

The scheme has faced repeated criticisms of delay and bureaucracy, with even ministers admitting it has left them frustrated.

Energy minister Peter Hain said the new offers would mean 40,000 people will have received payments.