Labour dithering on miner's compensation

SNP Candidate for the Glenrothes by-election, Peter Grant, was today (Monday) joined by Plaid Cymru's parliamentary leader Elfyn Llwyd MP on a visit to the CISWO centre in Glenrothes.

Mr Llwyd, the Westminster leader of the SNP's sister party in Wales, is a long-standing champion on miners welfare, and used the visit to call on the Labour Government to compensate former miners who are suffering from coal miners knee Osteoarthritis and allow them to claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

Mr Llwyd said:

"Given the support people in mining communities have given Labour in the past, it is just shocking that the Labour Government have not acted to help former miners who became ill as a result of their work.

"It is shameful that Labour are making former miners fight for the compensation they deserve.

"What we don't want now is a long drawn out legal process, similar to the chest disease cases. It would be far better for the Government to treat these miners fairly and honourably by paying what they're owed, rather than wasting tax-payer's money on years of expensive litigation in order to try and avoid their responsibility.

"Action is needed now, or some of these miners who are suffering will have died by the end of such a process.

"Thousands of miners have been affected by this, and the Government should take heed of the recommendations made by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council and allow these miners to claim benefit from the Industrial Injuries Disablement Scheme."

Cllr Grant added:

"I have met a number of former miners who are affected by this condition, and who feel sorely let down by the Labour government.

"I don't think our former mining communities thought they would see the day when a so-called Labour government would rather pay lawyers to block claims, than pay compensation to those miners left with industrial injuries.

"I look forward to working with Elfyn in highlighting these important issues affecting our mining communities."