Blood scandal victims challenge Government for compensation
VICTIMS OF the contaminated blood scandal have written to the Health Secretary asking for a proper compensation package.
Tainted Blood, a support group for victims, has written to Health Secretary Matt Hancock asking the Government to address what the group calls an “unacceptable delay” in dealing with finances.
A public inquiry into the scandal, which has heard the number infected could go “far beyond 25,000”, is not due to start considering financial payments until 2020, when it is feared another 100 more victims could have died.
Diana Johnson, the MP for Hull North, who has helped spearhead the campaign for victims, said the only reason many were claiming benefits now was because they had been “harmed by the State years ago”.
Mr Johnson, who is co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Haemophilia and Contaminated Blood, said the Government should do what the Republic of Ireland did to compensate thalidomide victims.
She said: “The fundamental problem is that these payments are bits of money that over the years have been given to people and there has never been a proper compensation package made available to those affected. Our Government has never admitted liability and suggests payments are a matter of goodwill. It is always called financial support rather than compensation.
“By 2020 when it starts to look at this 100 people will have died. It is pushing it down the road even further. The Government could do what the Republic of Ireland did and make compensatory payments now.”
It emerged last week that inquiry chairman Sir Brian Langstaff had written to the Cabinet Office urging the Government to take “decisive action” on financial support to victims. Meanwhile it was reported that 1,200 patients infected with HIV received around £24,000 after signing contracts in 1991 promising to drop legal action.
Only after signing were they told they were also infected with hepatitis C.