GOVERNMENT officials have sparked anger by describing victims of an asbestos-related condition as having "no more than freckles".

Civil servants told a trade union representing sufferers of pleural plaques: "What are you worried about? It's no more than freckles", MPs have heard.

In fact, the condition - a scarring of the lungs - means its victims are five times more likely to develop mesothelioma, a severe respiratory disease.

Nearly 2,000 people, mostly men, have died from mesothelioma across the region over a 20-year period, according to figures.

The worst areas are South Tyneside, Hartlepool, Sunderland, Stockton and Redcar and Cleveland.

The condition, caused by inhaling asbestos fibres, will become an increasing problem in the North-East because of its history of heavy industry.

The death toll is expected to rise, peaking at as high as 2,450 deaths across Britain by 2015, compared to 1,922 in 2003.

The revelation that Ministry of Justice officials dismissed the importance of pleural plaques came as MPs criticised the Government's refusal to ensure compensation for its victims.

Last year, insurance firms, facing a potential £1bn payout, won a Law Lords ruling that they were not liable because pleural plaques had no symptoms and was, therefore, not a disease.

The ruling was described as outrageous by trade unions and many Labour MPs, but the Government said the ruling would not be overturned.

To add to MPs' anger, the Scottish Parliament has vowed to change the law, which means sufferers in England could be denied compensation available north of the border.

In a Commons debate, David Anderson, the Labour MP for Blaydon, in Gateshead, said people were dying "as a direct result of being criminally exposed to a dangerous substance".

He said: "Thompsons solicitors told me about discussions that it had with civil servants in the department about the impact of pleural plaques.

"Thompsons was told: 'What are you worried about? It's no more than freckles'.

"Well, the people whose lungs have been scarred think that pleural plaques are slightly more than freckles."

Stephen Hepburn, the Labour MP for Jarrow, South Tyneside, said: "The lack of Government action following that court decision has left many thousands of people feeling powerless and belittled."

In reply, Justice Minister Bridget Prentice said the MPs' arguments were "incredibly persuasive", but said the law would not be changed.

However, Ms Prentice said it would be unacceptable for compensation to be available in only part of the UK.

And she held open the possibility of a U-turn if the Industrial Injury Advisory Council reclassified pleural plaques as an industrial injury