Sufferers of asbestos-related diseases could be set to benefit from a £70 million support package, public liability insurance holders have been told.
The Independent revealed that proposals by the government include setting up a research centre into illnesses which are linked to asbestos, insisting that insurers fund compensation for dying victims who are unable to rely on their employer's insurance.
More money could also be paid to sufferers of mesothelioma, a disease which kills thousands of tradesmen each year.
The setting up of an employers liability insurance bureau will give victims of asbestos-related diseases a "fund of last resort", which will be paid for mainly by the insurance industry.
Tony Whiston, spokesperson for the Asbestos Support Group's Forum, told the source: "Lots of this is really good - establishing a fund of last resort will make a huge difference to people who are dying. And a research centre is also something we've been calling for some time."
Public liability insurance holders were given examples of the fines for breaching asbestos regulations earlier this month, when Stonehouse Design and Build was fined £5,400 after renovation work at a former hotel in Cornwall.