Contaminated blood inquiry: Cabinet Office to conduct probe after victims criticise Health Department role

Thousands of NHS patients were given blood transfusions infected with hepatitis C and HIV in 1970s and 1980s, leading to 2,400 deaths

‘We have been absolutely clear of our determination to establish what happened,’ said the PM’s spokesman (Getty Images)

Theresa May has announced plans for a full statutory inquiry into the contaminated blood scandal after victims and families denounced offers of a probe run by the Department of Health.

In a major U-turn, the Prime Minister said the Cabinet Office would now oversee the investigation into how thousands of haemophiliacs and other patients were given blood products infected with HIV and hepatitis C during the 1970s and 1980s, leaving around 2,400 people dead.

Family members have previously condemned the potential involvement of the Department of Health in the UK-wide probe – as it would be effectively investigating itself – with many campaigners boycotting a meeting with officials at Downing Street earlier this year.

Ms May vowed to set up an inquiry earlier this year into the “appalling tragedy which should simply never have happened”. She said thousands of NHS patients have been “failed” by the health service.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman told a Westminster briefing: “The inquiry will be conducted under the responsibility of the Cabinet Office rather than by the Department of Health with immediate effect.

“We have been absolutely clear of our determination to establish what happened in relation to the contaminated blood scandal of the 1970s and 1980s and to work with the families of those affected, and we are now moving forward with that process.

“There was a strong view that it should be done away from the Department of Health. We have listened to those views and that’s why it will be conducted under the auspices of the Cabinet Office.”

Downing Street said there had been more than 800 responses to the consultation into setting up the inquiry and more detail would be announced by the end of the year.

Labour ex-minister Diana Johnson previously compared the decision to allow the Department of Health to be involved in the inquiry to “asking South Yorkshire Police to lead an inquiry into the Hillsborough disaster”.

Ms Johnson, who chairs the all-party group on contaminated blood, said today: “I welcome the Government’s confirmation that the Department of Health will not be the sponsoring body for the contaminated blood inquiry; and that it will be a statutory inquiry under the 2005 Inquiries Act.

“This shows that the Prime Minister has listened to the overwhelming and unanimous opposition to this inquiry being led by a department so implicated in this disaster.”

She called for a clear commitment that the Department of Health would have no involvement other than providing evidence and that the probe would cover the aftermath of the tragedy, as well as how patients were infected.

Norman Lamb, a former Liberal Democrat health minister, also welcomed the move, adding: “This is crucial to ensure that the inquiry is completely independent from the Department of Health, whose role in this scandal needs to be fully scrutinised.

“The imperative now is to rapidly appoint a chair, and finally deliver answers and justice for all those affected by this horrific tragedy.”

A spokesman for the Haemophilia Society said: “We welcome the Government’s recognition of our concerns about the impartiality challenges the Department of Health faced regarding the contaminated blood inquiry.

“We hope the decision to make the Cabinet Office the sponsor of the now statutory inquiry will be a turning point in helping the victims of this scandal finally get the justice they have long deserved.

“We now hope a new and fresh discussion will be launched to establish the chair and terms of reference, which can now include the many groups who, like us, had felt unable to work with the Department of Health when it was so clearly conflicted.”