SNP ministers have been urged to reconsider their refusal to offer compensation to Scottish miners who were sacked during the bitter 1984 strike.
Dennis Canavan said those involved had been victims of "some of the biggest miscarriages of justice in the history of Scottish industrial relations".
The former Labour MP sat on the independent review group established by the Scottish Government to reexamine the events of 1984 and recommend whether there was a case to pardon those convicted of trade union activity.
During the walk-out 1,400 people were arrested in Scotland, with more than 500 convicted - with 206 miners sacked as a result.
MSPs last week backed the first stage of a bill that will eventually offer a formal pardon to those convicted of certain crimes - such as being found in breach of the peace on a picket line.
But the Scottish Government has insisted the legislation is about reconciliation and the question of compensation was a matter for Westminster.
Miners in 1984 were employees of the state-owned National Coal Board (NCB).
Canavan said the issue of compensation did not fall within their "narrow remit" of the panel - but urged the Scottish Government to offer some form of compensation.
He told the Record: "Speaking in a personal capacity, I think there are very strong arguments for compensation, especially in cases of unfair dismissal.
"We heard of some cases where miners were dismissed even before their cases were even dealt with by the courts.
"Dismissal also meant impoverishment for many miners and their families who lost many thousands of pounds in wages and pensions entitlement.
"Some of them were unable to find work again because they had been blacklisted."
"It should also be recalled that Scottish miners suffered disproportionately compared with their comrades in other parts of the UK.
"Scottish miners made up about seven per cent of the total UK coalmining workforce - but Scottish miners accounted for about 14 per cent of arrests and over 20 per cent of dismissals."
Canavan blamed the "vindictive attitude" of Albert Wheeler, who was in charge of the Scottish region of the National Coal Board during the strike.
After the strike ended in 1985, Wheeler refused amnesties to miners convicted of offences who wanted to go back to work.
Canavan continued: "Some people may argue that the matter of compensation should be addressed by the UK Government rather than the Scottish Government.
"Employment is a matter reserved to Westminster and the National Coal Board was a publicly owned UK industry.
"However, if the UK Government continues in its intransigent state of denial, I think that the Scottish Government should consider some form of ex-gratia payments.
"This would go some way towards achieving a measure of redress for people who were victims of some of the biggest miscarriages of justice in the history of Scottish industrial relations."
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We very much sympathise with miners who lost out on redundancy payments and pension rights as a result of being sacked by the National Coal Board after being arrested or convicted for actions whilst participating in the strike.
"By offering a pardon, the Scottish Government is doing what it can within its powers to restore dignity to miners convicted in relation to the strike. However, Employment and Industrial Relations are reserved to Westminster.
"We agree with the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee’s view that the Bill is not the appropriate mechanism for delivering a compensation scheme.
"We will continue to press the UK Government for a UK-wide public inquiry which should also include the payment of compensation.
"The Scottish Government also considers that, if the Bill is passed, then this could add weight to calls for action to be taken by the UK Government.”
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