Ministers agree August deadline to set up body to issue payouts to victims of infected blood scandal
A compensation scheme for victims of the infected blood scandal should be in place by the end of August after the Government accepted a Lords amendment.
Thousands of people were infected with hepatitis C and HIV from contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 80s.
About 3,000 people have already died in what is known as the biggest treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.
The inquiry is due to publish its final report on May 20 and the Government has already received the official recommendations on compensation.
Ministers this week accepted a Labour amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill which imposes a duty on the Government to establish an arms-length body, known as the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), within three months of the publication of the final report.
This will be the vehicle through which infected and affected people can apply for compensation for social, physical and mental harm as well as remuneration for stigmatisation, care costs, and loss of earnings.
An interim chief executive will run a “shadow body” which will launch immediately after the May 20 report and will be supplanted with the fully-fledged scheme when it is ready.
The groundwork to hand out compensation is expected to start immediately, with hiring and IT processes to be in place before the IBCA formally launches.
“The Government shares the determination of the House to ensure compensation reaches victims quickly,” said the Conservative peer Lord Howe.
He added: “We recognise that Parliament and the infected blood community need clarity on when these measures will be in place.”
Nick Thomas-Symonds, Labour’s shadow minister without portfolio, added: “The Government has now been forced, under cross-party pressure, to set out a clear timetable to deliver a final compensation scheme. They must now progress, urgently, with getting the body ready to make payments.”
The amendments also formalise a commitment from Government to pay £100,000 in interim payments to the bereaved parents and orphaned children of infected individuals.
There is no confirmed time as to when these will be paid but reports suggest it could be before the end of the year.
Listen to Bed of Lies, a six-part Telegraph podcast laying bare one of the biggest medical disasters in history, the Infected Blood scandal, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast app.
Listen to Bed of Lies, a six-part Telegraph podcast laying bare one of the biggest medical disasters in history, the Infected Blood scandal, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or your preferred podcast app.
