A LETTER calling for a fairer deal for ex-miners has been signed by a cross-party group of 34 MPs.

It calls for the terms of the Mineworkers Pension Scheme, through which surpluses are shared on a 50/50 basis between the Treasury and scheme members, to be reviewed.

The arrangement was agreed in 1994 when British Coal was privatised. At the time it was estimated the scheme would generate a £2 billion surplus over 25 years - but this was dramatically under-estimated, with the Treasury making an estimated £10 billion over the past 20 years.

Some estimates have put miners and their widows, who are entitled to half their husband's pensions after their death - living on around £60 a week.

Four former Gwent miners - Ken Sullivan, Gareth Davies, Alun Parffit and Emlyn Davies - have been campaigning for three years against the terms, and recently presented a petition with more than 100,000 signatures calling for change to parliament.

Speaking as the petition was being presented to parliament, Ken Sullivan said: “We’ve been fighting for this for three years.

“It feels good that we’ve got it done, and I can finally get a bit of my own life back.

“It’s been a long fight and it’s lovely to see it coming together at last.”

And now a letter has been sent by Blaenau Gwent Labour MP Nick Smith to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, calling on him to review the mineworkers’ pension scheme arrangement to give former mineworkers and their families a fairer share for their decades of hard work.

So far, 34 MPs from five parties have signed the letter.

Mr Smith said: “Many of my relatives worked down the pits. Members of my family were badly injured working in the coal mines of South Wales. It was difficult, dangerous work and our former miners and their widows deserve better.

South Wales Argus:

(Nick Smith - Labour MP for Blaenau Gwent)

“The current arrangement has seen the Government take £3.1bn out of the pension scheme since 1994, without paying a penny back in. This doesn’t seem right, especially when you have former colliers getting by on an average payment of just £84 a week.

“The Government can offer stronger protections for the pension bonuses that former miners get when the scheme is performing well by including this in the guarantee and the portion of the surplus they receive can be increased by reducing the share that goes to the Government.

“This would mean that when the fund performs well and posts healthy surpluses, the miners themselves would see more money coming back to them.

“Miners worked hard for decades – it’s time they had a fair share and a fairer deal in return. It's time to get on with it.”

The following MPs have added their signatures to Nick Smith MP’s letter so far:

1. Nigel Adams MP (CONS)

2. Tonia Antoniazzi MP (LAB)

3. Sir Kevin Barron MP (LAB)

4. Ben Bradley MP (CONS)

5. Kevin Brennan MP (LAB)

6. Alan Brown MP (SNP)

7. Chris Bryant MP (LAB)

8. Sir William Cash MP (CONS)

9. Ann Clwyd MP (LAB)

10. Wayne David MP (LAB)

11. Gloria De Piero MP (LAB)

12. Jonathan Edwards MP (PLAID)

13. Julie Elliott MP (LAB)

14. Chris Elmore MP (LAB)

15. Chris Evans MP (LAB)

16. Helen Goodman MP (LAB)

17. David Hanson MP (LAB)

18. Carolyn Harris MP (LAB)

19. Gerald Jones MP (LAB)

20. Susan Elan Jones MP (LAB)

21. Stephen Kinnock MP (LAB)

22. Ian Lavery MP (LAB)

23. John Mann MP (LAB)

24. Conor McGinn MP (LAB)

25. Ed Miliband MP (LAB)

26. Grahame Morris MP (LAB)

27. Albert Owen MP (LAB)

28. Stephanie Peacock MP (LAB)

29. Dennis Skinner MP (LAB)

30. Ruth Smeeth MP (LAB)

31. Owen Smith MP (LAB)

32. Gareth Snell MP (LAB)

33. Jo Stevens MP (LAB)

34. Nick Thomas-Symonds MP (LAB)