How much was paid in coal health claims up to 31 March; how many claimants have benefited; and if she will make a statement on plans to increase the speed at which claims are processed.

We have paid £2.6 billion to nearly 420,000 claimants. Some £64.5 million of that was spread between 13,094 claimants in my hon. Friend's constituency. I pay tribute to his work in that regard. On 28 February, the Department began to make fast-track offers to claimants. We aim to ensure that remaining claims are dealt with as speedily as possible.

The sum of £2.6 billion for coal health claims is very significant. Will the Minister remind us that the last Conservative Government refused the claim, and will he make it his policy to put more money into more miners' pockets more quickly?

Indeed. I pay tribute to all hon. Members who have striven to ensure that they get justice for sick miners and their widows and families.

I welcome the Minister's statement. In Barnsley, £166 million has been received in the community; in my constituency the figure was £39 million. I draw his attention to yesterday's report by the Select Committee on Trade and Industry which recommends that the 3,500 to 5,000 surface workers who have less than five years' service should be admitted to the scheme. Will he examine that recommendation seriously and consider either implementing a new scheme for such workers or bringing them into the current scheme?

I gave evidence to the Select Committee and I understand that its report was produced this week. I have not yet had a chance to study it, but I think that my hon. Friend knows that we give every sympathetic consideration to helping sick miners and their families. The surface workers issue is difficult, and he knows that I have taken a keen interest in it. I have not yet found evidence that would allow us to extend the scheme, but I will obviously read the Select Committee's deliberations with great care.

Obviously, the announcement by the Minister is fantastic news. My constituency has benefited from almost £79 million in compensation.

I wonder whether the Minister will take this opportunity to update the House about the negotiations to establish a minimum compensation level of £500 for chronic bronchitis? This week, I encountered yet another example of a former miner suffering from it in Hemingfield in my constituency who was receiving a full and final settlement of just £53.01. It is important that we examine the issue and establish the minimum fee as quickly as possible.

I agree with my hon. Friend. Indeed, on Monday I had a meeting with the head of the National Union of Mineworkers in Scotland to discuss how we could progress with the minimum fee. The solicitors made a proposal, and said that, as their average fee including VAT is about £2,300, they might sacrifice some of that to make up any payment offers under £500 up to that sum. We are now working on the mechanism that would allow that to be delivered.

Is the Minister aware that those who worked for other employers as well as the National Coal Board and British Coal have some difficulty? As he knows, there is a problem with multi-claims. Some private employers are refusing to pay their whack out of the total payment. Therefore, we must jump on them severely to try to get the claims settled. Such claims form the bulk of the outstanding claims. If we can get that show on the road and deal with the fast-tracking of £1,000, we will make much more progress for the next Parliament and get a lot more money.

We certainly will. Indeed, we have already honoured our part of that bargain. I am certainly the Minister to jump on such people.