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

Sunak apologises ‘wholeheartedly’ to infected blood victims

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.

Key Points

• Rishi Sunak vows victims will receive compensation: ‘Whatever it costs, we will pay it'
• Rishi Sunak calls damning revelations of report ‘a day of shame for the British state’
• Prime minister ‘wholeheartedly and unequivacally’ apologises to infected blood victims
• Sir Keir Starmer apologises to victims of infected blood scandal for injustice on ‘unprecedented scale'
• Deaths and suffering of tens of thousands ‘could and should have been avoided’

[20 May 2024 14:07 · Athena Stavrou]

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.

(Sky news)