Reassure the blood victims

No-one can doubt that Prime Minister Theresa May is right when she says that the contaminated blood scandal is an “appalling tragedy” that should “simply never have happened”.

The monumental failures that are believed to have lead to the deaths of more than 2,400 people, and blighted the lives of thousands more who have had to live with illnesses as a result, took place more than 30 years ago. The passage of time has done nothing to dampen the demand for answers from many of those involved.

The Prime Minister’s announcement seems to have caught the Scottish Government by surprise and as a result victims and their families north of the Border have been left with unanswered questions regarding compensation awarded to them in the wake of the much-criticised Penrose Inquiry. It has to be hoped that reassurances can be offered to them in the coming days.

In the meantime, the prospect of an in-depth review of all evidence available has to be welcomed, as does the promise to consult carefully with those affected on how the inquiry should be carried out.