The lord chancellor is facing calls to set up an inquiry into why solicitors kept thousands of pounds in extra legal fees from the £2 billion compensation package for miners with lung disease.

The solicitors who have taken their fees out of the compensation agreed by the government have been ordered to pay the money back by Nigel Griffiths, the minister in charge of coal health claims.

Nearly 100 MPs have now signed an Early Day Motion calling for a full-scale inquiry by the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors.