By the closing deadline the petition had garnered support from over 3,300 signatories.
The aim of the petition was to bring to the attention of the Government the five key demands outlined in the Daily Mirror's Asbestos Timebomb Campaign, including a "£10 million National Centre for Asbestos Related Disease to find better treatment, alleviate suffering and find a cure for mesothelioma".
Click here to see the Government's response .
Expert asbestos lawyer, Adrian Budgen, who represents many victims of asbestos exposure, commented on the response:
"I am very pleased that the Government has agreed to support the proposed National Centre for Asbestos-Related Disease (NCARD) but disappointed by the responses in relation to pleural plaques compensation and employer’s liability insurance cover, which are two very important issues."