A row has broken out between the South Wales Argus and the Department of Trade and Industry – after Government officials claimed the paper got its facts wrong.

The Argus said Secretary of State Stephen Byers back-tracked on a pledge to push for changes in the way payments are being handed out to ex-miners suffering lung disease because of their work.

But DTI officials claim the Argus story on Saturday was the result of “garbled” quotes.

The paper is sticking by its story – and believes the miners have received yet another kick in the teeth from Whitehall.

The Argus reported on Saturday how Trade and Industry Secretary Stephen Byers had responded to its Justice for Miners campaign, claiming he would put forward new compensation proposals to Mr Justice Michael Turner in a crucial High Court hearing in Sheffield this week.

The minister was quoted saying: “The present system isn’t satisfactory, and your petition shows that.

“We tried tinkering at the edges of the agreement. What is now clear is that there needs to be fundamental changes.

“We will be going back to court on Thursday, seeking changes so we can get the money out more quickly.”

But now the Department of Trade and Industry has backtracked, saying no new proposals will be announced.

The paper wrote yesterday: “This was a senior Cabinet minister, the man in charge of the department sorting out the miners’ claims, admitting that the compensation scheme needed a radical overhaul.

“But not according to DTI officials.

“They now say: ‘There are no new proposals being put to the court on Thursday. The press comments were garbled reporting of something the Secretary of State said which was less than clear’.

“There was no garbled reporting – if there was, then the Argus, the Press Association and the Welsh Mirror all managed to garble the same words in the same way, which would have been pretty impressive. What has happened is clear. Mr Byers got it wrong and now he is trying to cover his tracks by blaming the Press.”

The paper, which has run a lengthy campaign to fight for the miners, was full of hope after Saturday’s ‘announcement’ but said the hope – shared by the pitmen and their families, had now evaporated.

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