Stephen Evans reports: "Existing claimants die at a rate of 200 a week"

But lawyers representing the men and their widows who will receive the payouts said it was "a great shame" that the deal was not reached several years ago.

Details of the compensation deal, settled by the government, were released at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday afternoon.

More than 65,000 claims have already been made - 15,000 from widows - and the settlement opens up the opportunity for many more individuals to receive cash payouts.

Stephen Evans reports: "Payments up to £50,000 per miner"

It is estimated that the National Health Service would take 17 years to assess every case, so the government will set up 30 centres across the country to examine the miners and decide how much each one should receive.

The majority of claimants will probably receive between £1,500 and £20,000, although some miners could be paid up to £50,000 depending on circumstances. Claimants who smoke are likely to receive reduced amounts.

Claims dating from 1954 onwards will be considered and interest will be payable from the date they were made.

John Battle: "Tragic saga"

Energy Minister John Battle - who comes from a mining family - said he was glad that "this tragic saga" was coming to an end.

"These miners worked in some of the worst conditions in the world and they deserve compensation," he said.

Thompsons, a law firm representing 26,000 former miners, called the deal "legal history".

'British Coal lied'

"At long last miners who have been waiting nearly two decades and through years of legal action will receive fair compensation," spokesman Tom Jones said.

"Tens of thousands of men have died or had their health severely damaged by British Coal's cynical attitude to health and safety. British Coal falsified records, they covered up and lied but were found out."

The firm Hugh James, which represents many Welsh miners, said: "We must never forget that hundreds of men have died waiting for this day.

"The process of getting money in the hands of claimants will begin almost immediately. This is logistically a large job but because it is going to take a long time, some smaller sums will be paid to men."

Solicitors Irwin Mitchell, also representing claimants, said as many as 25 former miners were dying each day of lung diseases.

Denied liability

The miners took legal action against the government and the nationalised coal industry eight years ago.

They claimed it had been known for decades that dust produced in the coal mining process could cause lung diseases like emphysema and chronic bronchitis and that not enough was done to protect them.

They won their case in court two years ago, but it is only now that a compensation package has been put together.

Many of the ex-miners started working underground at the age of 14 in the 1950s, when there were no dust masks and no showers at collieries.

British Coal had always denied liability for the miners' illness, but six test cases were successful last year, opening the floodgates for others to make claims.

The Department of Trade and Industry took over responsibility for the liabilities after British Coal was privatised.

The areas where the majority of affected miners now live are Wales, Scotland, Yorkshire and the North East of England.