A LEADING mining union representative has called on the government to increase the number of people handling the miners compensation cases.

Bleddyn Hancock, general secretary of the Nacods union, urged more res-ources to be directed toward claims handlers IRISC on the fifth anniversary of the Argus's high profile campaign to bring justice to former pitmen suffering from debilitating chest diseases - and their families.

Mr Hancock claims that at the present rate, it will take eight years to settle all the outstanding claims.

"That delay is far too long because many miners or their widows will be dead before receiving a penny themselves and that is a disgrace," he said.

"The solution to this is in the hands of the government - if they employed enough staff it could take between three and four years to settle everything."

Audrey Baldwin, 81, of James Street, Markham, has not received a penny despite lodging a claim on behalf of her dead father, William Preece, four years ago.

Mr Preece died of heart failure and pneumoconiosis in 1974 at the age of 76.

He had worked underground at Markham colliery for 50 years. Mrs Baldwin said: "I was told a while back we would be getting an interim payment, but we have had nothing at all.

"I think I will be dead and gone before they get anything done. It is very, very slow and we don't seem to be getting anywhere at all."

She added: "When I think of the way my father and many others were in the village after their retirement, gasping for breath, it was a pitiful sight." A spokeswoman for the DTI said: "Our priority has always been to process the claims of the eldest and sickest miners and their widows.

"In this particular case (Mr Preece) it is very much being dealt with as we speak and we are preparing to make an offer but as it is an estate claim, it wasn't a priority."

In response to the criticism from Mr Hancock, she added: "We are in active discussions with all parties involved to make the process as efficient as possible because we are keen to make as many claims in the shortest possible time.

"It is not in our interests to take our time settling cases."