I was not responsible for blood products as minister, Lord Clarke says

The former health minister Ken Clarke has said he was “not responsible” for blood products in the early days of the infected blood scandal, the Infected Blood Inquiry heard on Tuesday (27 July).

Appearing before the inquiry on Tuesday to give evidence, Lord Clarke said the controversy surrounding the blood products was something that “hardly ever came across my desk”.

He said at the time he was distracted with policies such as closing “old Victorian asylums” and removing “old geriatric hospitals” rather than the blood products scandal.