London - British miners who had to take early retirement after contracting work-related illnesses won their year-long battle for pension top-ups yesterday. The Energy Minister, Mr Peter Hain, announced a £400 million deal to compensate up to 100,000 miners who lost their pension rights when they left work early.
Miners suffered from lung diseases, caused by exposure to coal dust, and from a condition caused by the use of heavy machinery where finger nerves and blood vessels are damaged.