Rishi Sunak to be hauled before infected blood inquiry over compensation row
Rishi Sunak and a raft of Tory ministers will be hauled before the infected blood inquiry this week to give evidence on compensation for those affected by the scandal.
Commons leader and former Paymaster General Penny Mordaunt will appear on Monday with her successor Jeremy Quin facing questions on Tuesday before the Prime Minister gets a grilling on Wednesday.
Evidence from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, a former Health Secretary, will follow on Friday.
Thousands of NHS patients were infected with HIV or hepatitis C by contaminated blood products imported from the US in the 1970s and 1980s.
At least 2,400 people died in the worst treatment disaster in the history of the health service.
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The 4,000 surviving victims began to receive interim payments of £100,000 in October.
And while the Government has accepted there is a “moral case” for affected people to be paid full compensation, Paymaster General Jeremy Quin told MPs in December he could not commit to a timetable.
Marc's sister Janine will be among bereaved relatives delivering a letter on Monday (Supplied)Meanwhile, bereaved relatives of victims will deliver a letter to Number 10 on Monday ahead of Mr Sunak’s evidence to demand action on setting up a body to administer full compensation.
“As Prime Minister, you hold the power to alleviate this prolonged suffering. It is within your authority to appoint the Chair of [the body] and expedite the process of justice.
“We implore you to use this power not just as a political leader but as a compassionate human being who understands our immeasurable grief.”
Janine Jones from Bromsgrove will be one of those delivering the letter to Downing Street on Monday.
Her Brother, Marc, was infected with Hepatitis C and HIV through tainted blood products. He died aged 41 years old in 2003.
Marc had been receiving haemophilia treatment since he was a child from the Birmingham Children's Hospital.
From age eleven, he attended a special school in Alton for people with haemophilia, the Lord Mayor Treloar College.
Of the 89 pupils with haemophilia who attended the school, the Inquiry has heard less than a quarter of that number are still alive.
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Marc was twenty-three years old when he was informed that he had HIV.
Marc (left) attended a special school for people with haemophilia (Supplied)His plans of a happy marriage and starting a family were destroyed and he twice attempted suicide.
No counselling was offered to either Marc or his sister.
Janine had been caring for Marc throughout his illnesses, she said: "I took on the role of the big sister even though I was four years younger than him.
“My goal in life was to look after him. It could have all been avoided, which is the worst part of it all. When he died, I felt like an orphan, I felt like I had no purpose in life. I felt like I had no one to look after anymore."
"Our parents were traumatised by what happened to their son. They have both died within the last two years of the Inquiry without seeing recognition for what happened to Marc.”
She added: “This is why the government need to act, people are dying without seeing any form of justice and it's just not right."
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