MORE THAN £229 million pounds in compensation has been paid out to ex-miners in Wales with chest diseases, Wales Office minister Don Touhig says.

And £27 million of that figure has been paid out between March 16 and the beginning of this month.

The Argus is campaigning to speed up compensation payments to miners and their families suffering chest diseases as a result of the years they spent working in the mines.

Mr Touhig, speaking after a meeting of the Coal Health Claims Monitoring Group, said: "While we are talking of massive figures, there is no room for complacency.

"I am determined that no stone should be left unturned until we have secured justice for each every miner eligible for compensation.

"A crucial element of the effort is the Welsh sub-group which has representatives of all those with a key part to play in speeding up the process and ironing out any difficulties.

"If there is a problem, everybody is there to discuss it. This has worked well and everyone feels that their voice is being listened to.

"We have got to make sure that the compensation scheme moves as rapidly as possible and that we continue to target our priorities - the oldest miners, the most ill, the widows.

"It is not about the money. It is about the justice of the case - recognition of what the miners went through underground."

Our campaign began almost four years ago, in August 1999, when ex-miner Robert James said he was convinced he would die of his lung diseases before seeing any damages.

We highlighted the 27,000 cases of pitmen and their widows weary of the length of time it was taking to see justice.

More than 25,000 signatures were collected on a petition for £10,000 interim payments including those of Wales rugby legends Gareth Edwards and Barry John, film star Anthony Hopkins, rock band The Stereophonics and comedian Max Boyce.

* A further £90 million has been paid out to miners and their families in Wales for Vibration White Finger claims, latest figures show.