Sick
miners, their widows or their families have received £2bn in compensation.
Nigel
Griffiths, minister for coal health claims, said that more than 780,000
applications have now been received compensation under both the respiratory
disease and vibration white finger schemes.
The
DTI assumed responsibility for these liabilities in 1998, and is paying out
around £2m every working day in compensation.
It
is estimated that more than £7bn will be paid out by the Government to settle
all claims.
Griffiths
said: "I am pleased that we have now made around 340,000 payments to sick
miners, their widows or their families and thousands more are set to benefit
over the coming months."
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