SHAUN Woodward has pledged to try and speed up settlement of former coal miners' compensation claims.

The St Helens South MP has tabled a series of Parliamentary questions to Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, on the reasons for the backlog of claims being processed.

Shaun said: "Britain owes a debt of honour to our miners, and Labour is committed to delivering.

"However, I want to work to ensure that these claims are processed swiftly and correctly. I know there have been difficulties in the speed at which claims for both Vibration White Finger and respiratory diseases are being processed. Many former miners are ill, many are elderly. Getting the money to them needs to be done as a matter of urgency."