PAYOUTS: LCS head to discuss deductions from miners' awards


The Legal Complaints Service (LCS) is to meet the Trades Union Congress (TUC) to discuss whether some unions should be asked to repay deductions taken from sick miners' compensation payouts, the Gazette has learned.



Deborah Evans, LCS chief executive, said: 'I will be meeting with TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber at the end of February when I hope to gain a clearer understanding of his organisation's stance regarding our aim to gain redress for former miners.'



The meeting has been welcomed by mining constituency MPs who have been contacted by claimants with complaints about the deductions taken from their awards.



Kevin Barron, Labour member for Rother Valley in Yorkshire, said there were continuing issues with some unions that had deducted payments, adding that the meeting was 'a good idea'.



He said: 'Some people were quite happy to make donations to trade unions... but I just feel that [the unions] should pay the money back if it is requested.'



Kevan Jones, Labour member for North Durham, said some unions had failed to make it clear that the deductions were voluntary and that claimants did not have to pay additional fees to claim compensation.



The government launched the compensation scheme, thought to be the biggest of its kind worldwide, for miners suffering serious chest disease and vibration white-finger injuries. However, it became mired in controversy after it emerged that some solicitors had deducted fees from miners' awards - for miners' unions or themselves - despite the fact the government had already paid solicitors' costs.



A TUC spokeswoman confirmed it would hold a meeting with the LSC but declined to comment further.



Anita Rice