Labour backs Infected Blood Compensation
Rachel Reeves (Shadow Chancellor) has written to Jeremy Hunt confirming that Labour will back an amendment to the Victims & Prisoners Bill, due for debate on Monday, which would see a compensation body for Infected Blood Scandal victims set up within three months.
By Friday afternoon, the amendment to deliver justice to those infected with HIV & Hepatitis C through infected blood products and their families had already amassed support in advance from 146 MPs, including 32 Conservatives. Labour's backing will make it very difficult for the government to stop the amendment from being passed. Many Conservative MPs, including front-benchers such as Penny Mordaunt, openly support calls for speedy compensation.
In her letter to Hunt, reported by the Sunday Times, Reeves says: "I am writing to inform you that the Labour Party will be supporting New Clause 27, tabled by my colleague and friend Dame Diana Johnson, to establish a body to administer the compensation scheme for victims of the infected blood scandal. This is an important moment to show that the Commons supports the principle of delivering a compensation scheme and achieving justice. "..." The Labour Party stands ready to work with all sides, including Government ministers, so that no more time is lost and that those affected by the infected blood scandal can finally receive the compensation, recognition and justice that is long overdue."
In addition to establishing a body to administer compensation, the amendment would also see interim payments of £100,000 made to the estates of those who died within a month. The Inquiry recommended such payments as part of its final compensation recommendations, published in April, to "alleviate immediate suffering" among bereaved families who haven't received any compensation so far.
Jason Evans (Director of Factor 8) said: "It is only reasonable that the government implements the final compensation recommendations of the Infected Blood Inquiry before the final report. They have already accepted the case for compensation and made interim payments to some victims, so to deny redress while people are still alive to see it is entirely illogical.
The longer the government takes to pay compensation, the more interest will be payable on victims' financial losses, driving up the overall cost. It benefits taxpayers to deal with this quickly, and I think the Labour Party can see that.
Most bereaved families have not received interim payments, and the additional feelings of unfairness and injustice this is causing are immense. When I speak to those who have lost loved ones that have not yet been recognised, it is evident that they are being traumatised further by the lack of action on Sir Brian's recommendation that they should receive an interim payment."
Sir Brian Langstaff, who chairs the Inquiry, recommended that a compensation system should have been established before the end of this year. However, despite one victim dying every four days, the government has been saying it will respond after the Inquiry's final report, now due in March 2024.
The debate on the Victims & Prisoners Bill will take place in the House of Commons on Monday 4th December (afternoon).
On Tuesday 5th December, victims and bereaved families of the Infected Blood Scandal will take to the streets of Westminster to demand that the government urgently act on the Infected Blood Inquiry's final compensation recommendations. Campaigners will protest outside The Treasury, Department of Health & Social Care and Cabinet Office and be joined by Conservative and Labour MPs to hand-deliver letters to No 10 & No 11 Downing Street.
We welcome the media to join us on the trail. A valid Press Card is required to join us in delivering letters to No 10 & No 11 Downing Street.
The schedule for Factor 8's day of action can be found here: https://www.factor8scandal.uk/campaign-history/2023/11/16/infected-blood-westminster-action-day
Notes to Editors:
The lastest amendment paper for the Victims & Prisoners Bill can be found at the following link (See NC27, 142, 143, 144) https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/bills/cbill/58-03/0351/amend/victims_day_rep_1204.pdf
The Infected Blood Scandal saw people in the UK infected with Hepatitis C (HCV) or HCV & HIV (co-infected) by a pharmaceutical product known as a Factor VIII. The Infected Blood Inquiry has determined that around 1,250 people with bleeding disorders were infected with both HIV & HCV and 2,400 – 5,000 people with bleeding disorders were infected with HCV (but not HIV). Every person infected with HIV was also infected with HCV.
Despite warnings against its use due to the risk of hepatitis infection, Factor VIII began to be used at scale in the UK from the early 1970s.
By the mid-1970’s, it became the most commonly prescribed treatment for Haemophilia in the UK. Before this time, the previously most prescribed treatment was Cryoprecipitate, which was safer because each unit was derived from the blood plasma of just 1 voluntary donor.
Factor VIII, on the other hand, was extremely dangerous because it was created by mixing together the plasma donations of tens of thousands of people who, in the case of imported products, were often very high risk. Many Plasma donors in the United States were paid for their plasma and fell into high-risk groups for viral risk.
By 1996, the majority of Haemophiliacs who had been infected with both HIV & HCV were dead. Those infected with HIV had also endured the most brutal period of AIDS stigma.
The Infected Blood Inquiry was announced in 2017 by then Prime Minister Theresa May and published its final compensation recommendations in April 2023, recommending a compensation scheme be established before the final report. The final report is due to be published in March 2024.
