COMPENSATION payments to sick miners and their families have reached £2bn, the Government has said.
The landmark figure is as a result of more than 780,000 applications under the lung disease and Vibration White Finger (VWF) schemes.
Both schemes have now closed to new claimants but the level of compensation paid is expected to keep rising - possibly to more than £7bn once all claims have been settled.
Latest figures showed that more than £235m has been paid in the North-East in respect of claims for diseases such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema caused by breathing in coal dust.
For VWF - a loss of sensation in the joints caused by prolonged use of vibrating power tools - the figure is £285m.
The March 31 closure of the lung disease scheme caused a rush in last-minute applications to solicitors in the region.
Following historic court judgements in the late 1990s, British Coal was found negligent in failing to take appropriate measures to preserve the health of former pitmen.
The Northern Echo later set up a campaign, Justice For The Miners, in order to speed up payments to those affected.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article