Infected blood inquiry scandal - live: Sunak calls report ‘day of shame’ and vows to give victims compensation
Prime minister also apologises to victims as inquiry finds catalogue of failures by successive governments and NHS after tens of thousands avoidably infected with HIV and Hepatitis
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Your support makes all the difference.The prime minister has called the findings of the inquiry into the infected blood scandal a “day of national shame”, as he pledged to give victims compensation and apologised to them on behalf of successive governments.
Addressing the House of Commons on Monday following the publication of the damning 2,527-page report, Rishi Sunak said: “I want to make a whole-hearted and unequivocal apology for this terrible injustice.”
He also promised to pay “comprehensive compensation” to those affected and infected by the scandal. “Whatever it costs to deliver this scheme, we will pay it,” he added, saying details would be set out on Tuesday.
Politicians, doctors and civil servants were found guilty of a chilling cover-up in the report, which laid bare a catalogue of failures by successive governments and the NHS that amounted to a “calamity”.
Tens of thousands of people were avoidably infected with HIV and Hepatitis in the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS, which led to the deaths of around 3,000 patients.
The report into the shameful scandal found the public was falsely reassured, children were treated unnecessarily, evidence was deliberately destroyed, and a significant number of people remain undiagnosed after receiving blood transfusions in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.
Some patients were “betrayed” because tests were carried out on them without their knowledge or consent.
John Glen, the Cabinet Office minister dealing with the scandal on behalf of the government, has refused to rule out criminal proceedings for those involved.
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Infected blood scandal: How will the UK pay £10 billion in compensation?
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Sunak issues ‘wholehearted and unequivocal’ apology to infected blood victims
More than 30,000 infected and 3,000 dead: The shocking numbers behind the infected blood scandal
Infected blood inquiry chair speaking on finding
The chair of the infected blood inquiry is currently delivering a speech on the findings of the report.
Sir Brian Langstaff began his speech by inviting the audience to give a wide round of applause to all those involved in the report.
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