MPs call for speed and accountability from infected blood compensation scheme

MPs have called for compensation to victims of the infected blood scandal to be paid as soon as possible and questioned if the compensation authority will be held accountable to Parliament.

Cabinet Office Minister John Glen said he recognised that “time is of the essence” and the first full compensation payments to victims of the infected blood scandal will be made before the end of the year.

Mr Glen gave a statement in the Commons where he revealed more details of the scheme, stating it would include friends and family members of those given infected blood products, and that victims would be apply to receive awards under multiple categories where applicable.

The 2,527-page report from the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on Monday, found the infected blood scandal “could largely have been avoided” and there was a “pervasive” cover-up to hide the truth.

Some 3,000 people have since died.

Labour MP Dame Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North), who has been a long-time campaigner on the infected blood issue, said she wished to “gently remind (Mr Glen) of the maxim – no decision about us without us”.

Dame Diana criticised the lack of transparency in the Government’s expert advisory panel, and questioned why the Government had not responded to an earlier report from Sir Brian Langstaff that advised interim compensation payments be paid to victims within the year.

She said: “So, I just wondered if the Paymaster General could just set out, because we’ve also not had a proper, written response to the second interim report from Sir Brian, last April, are all the recommendations, all 18, are they being accepted by the Government? And if not, why not?

“And could he also just confirm how the Government is going to ensure that the compensation authority is accountable directly to Parliament, as recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry?”

Mr Glen replied: “I’ve also been mindful of the principle of Government managing public money, whilst also recognising Sir Brian’s imperatives around setting up an arm’s-length body, that is arm’s length from Government in order to restore or generate some trust with a very, very vulnerable community.

“Reconciling those two has not been straightforward, but (Dame Diana) asks about the accountability of the arm’s-length body, I think these are matters that will need to be discussed further with respect to the regulations that we have to lay before the House.”

In his statement to MPs Mr Glen outlined the five categories under which compensation would be awarded, including injury, social impact, autonomy, care and financial loss.

He went on to state that some award categories “capture a range of unspecific” costs suffered by those affected.

The chairman of the health and social care committee, Conservative MP Steve Brine, sought further clarity on what losses would be covered by the scheme.

He said: “Can I just ask (Mr Glen) on the financial loss award, if it will reflect the reality for many infected blood victims that they cannot, just as one example, access life insurance, will it reflect those elements of financial loss?”

Mr Glen replied: “(Mr Brine) makes a very legitimate point about specific elements of additional burdens consequential of the conditions that people have.

He added: “Clearly with social impact and autonomy, they capture a range of unspecific, but a basket of goods if you like, of things that people would have not been able to procure at the same cost.

“That will be the sort of conversations that will happen with the communities in the coming weeks.