THE MP for Barrow and Furness has welcomed news that veterans suffering from asbestos-related cancer will be given lump sum compensation payouts.

Around 60 veterans diagnosed with mesothelioma will be given £140k after ministers bowed to pressure from the Royal British Legion.

John Woodcock, Barrow and Furness MP, said he was glad the "injustice has been corrected".

Mesothelioma, which is a form of cancer, is caused by exposure to asbestos at work and is widespread among service personnel who served on vessels that contained asbestos, including submarines.

Specifically it is the P, O, Valiant, Resolution, Dreadnought and early S classes of submarine that might have contained asbestos.

The government had previously planned to offer the compensation only to veterans diagnosed with the disease after December 2015, but pressure from campaigning MPs had led to the extension of the scheme to all those affected.

The decision was announced today in the House of Commons by defence minister Mark Lancaster.

Mr Woodcock said: "This is fantastic news for veterans and their families and I am delighted the government have changed their policy.

"How we treat our veterans says so much about us as a society and I know there are many families in Barrow that are affected by this.

"Denying these families compensation from the government was unfair and it is only right that this injustice has been corrected."