Commenting on recent media reports about potential interim payments for victims of the contaminated blood scandal, Des Collins, senior partner at Collins Solicitors, says:
“We welcome the indication by sources at 10 Downing Street that Boris Johnson wants payments to be made to more than 4,000 victims of the infected blood scandal ‘as soon as possible’. We are, however, still awaiting the Government’s formal response to Sir Brian Langstaff’s interim report and recommendation on these payments, as well as a response to Sir Robert Francis QC’s report recommending the setting up of a Compensation Framework.
“Several news reports have said that more than 4,000 victims and their families are in line for payment. However, that does not tally with the terms of the immediate interim payment recommendation, which, if approved, will only be paid to those infected and a small number of widows. It is our understanding that interim payments will not benefit the bereaved families and/or Estates currently unable to access the existing support schemes – many of whom have been left in poverty. We will continue to lobby Government until all those entitled are fully compensated for the loved ones they have lost.
“To date all that we know is that a No 10 source has said: “The infected blood scandal was a tragedy for everyone involved, and the Prime Minister strongly believes that all those who suffered so terribly as a result of this injustice should receive compensation as quickly as possible. He has tasked ministers with resolving this issue so that interim payments can be made to all those infected as soon as possible, and we will set out the full details later this week.”
“As always, the devil is in the detail. We look forward to clarification from the Government in the coming days as to how and when the payments will be processed and, more generally, whether the remainder of Sir Robert Francis QC’s recommendations are to be accepted and full compensation paid to all who are entitled including the bereaved and the Estates of the deceased.”
ENDS
To interview Des Collins or any of the firm’s clients willing to speak on this issue, please contact:
Bell Yard Communications: BellYard@bell-yard.com
Declan Flahive: declan@bell-yard.com / Mob: 07944 629485
Notes for editors
The Infected Blood Inquiry, chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff, is the UK’s largest ever statutory inquiry, established to investigate how men women and children were given infected blood and blood products by the NHS from the 1970s. Hearings can be attended in person or followed live on the Infected Blood Inquiry website/YouTube channel.
