Theresa May launches contaminated blood scandal inquiry

Theresa May launches contaminated blood scandal inquiry

Theresa May has announced an inquiry into the contaminated blood scandal that claimed thousands of lives.

After mounting pressure from MPs, the Prime Minister said there would be a full prove into how tainted blood clotting agents were given to patients in the 1970s and 1980s.

An estimated 2,400 people died with hepatitis and HIV.

Parliament is to hold an emergency debate on the contaminated blood scandal later.

It was granted by Commons Speaker John Bercow after MPs said the Government needed to examine potential criminal activity.

Parliament is to hold an emergency debate on the contaminated blood scandal today on the back of damning new evidence from the Daily Mail

Theresa May and Jeremy Hunt (both pictured in Downing Street today) have agreed that an inquiry into the 'scandal' is needed

May told the Cabinet this morning that she and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt had decided a probe was needed.

Details of the UK-wide investigation have yet to be finalised, and consultations will take place with those people affected as to how best to proceed.

The Prime Minister's spokesman told a Westminster briefing: 'Jeremy Hunt said that 2,400 people had died and it was necessary to establish the causes of this appalling injustice.'

The spokesman said the premier considered the contaminated blood situation a 'scandal' and had acted after new evidence emerged.

He said: 'Consultation will now take place with those affected to decide exactly what form the inq uiry will take, such as a Hillsborough-style independent panel or a judge-led statutory inquiry.

'It is a tragedy that has caused immeasurable hardship and pain for all those affected and a full inquiry to establish the truth of what happened is the right course of action to take.

'It is going to be a wide-ranging inquiry.'

Minutes of papers seen by the Mail suggest health officials knew in 1980 and 1981 that patients were falling sick.

Yet it was not until 1986 that supply of the contaminated blood stopped.

Diana Johnson, Labour MP for Hull North, demanded a public inquiry in light of the documents. 

Her call has been backed by politicians from the Conservative and Labour parties, victims, lawyers and patient groups. 

Miss Johnson said the scandal was t he worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. 

Commons Speaker John Bercow granted the debate after MPs said the Government needed to examine potential criminal activity

She added: 'Last week the Daily Mail set out evidence that as early as 1980 officials knew that 50 people with haemophilia a year were being infected with hepatitis C. Nothing was done about this for five years.'

The UK imported supplies of the clotting agent Factor VIII from the US, some of which turned out to be infected. 

Much of the plasma used to make the products came from donors including prison inmates, who had sold their blood.

A joint letter from the six opposition leaders at Westminster said a fresh probe should look into allegations of a cover-up and claims that patients were not told of the risks, even after the dangers became clear. 

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