The ruling takes some of the burden off the government who is liable to potentially pay £3.5 billion in compensation. The High Court found British Coal should pay 70% and the contractors the other 30%.
The Financial Times said an agreement had been set up to settle the bulk of the claims but the department of Trade and Industry had gone to court to argue the contractors, including Cementation, Thyssen GB and Amco, should bear part of the burden.