Coventry campaigner confronts government on pay-outs for infected blood victims
Jason Evans will be leading the campaign
Last updated 5th Dec 2023
Victims and bereaved families of the Infected Blood Scandal will take to the streets of Westminster today to demand that the government urgently act on the Infected Blood Inquiry's final compensation recommendations.
MP's Damian Green, Dame Diana Johnson, Jonathan Djanogly and Nia Griffith will join campaigners impacted by HIV & Hepatitis C infected blood products as they hand-deliver letters to No 10 & No 11 Downing Street.
Campaigners will also protest outside The Treasury, Department of Health & Social Care and Cabinet Office during the day.
It comes as the government suffered a Commons defeat yesterday, after MPs voted 246 to 242, majority four, in favour of establishing a new body to help compensate infected blood victims.
Jason Evans from Coventry is founder of Factor 8 and lead campaigner.
Jason's Father, Jonathan, died in October 1993 after being infected with both Hepatitis C and HIV from contaminated Factor VIII products. His uncle was also infected and died.
He said: "The morally right thing to do is to recognise the real losses and the costs the victims and families have incurred. People have lost their houses, they've been unable to get life insurance, or get the education they would've wanted - because of what has happened to them.
"People deserve to have the real financial losses given back to them. It will never restore the horrible things that have happened to people, but it will go some way. The minimum that society should do in this situation is restore some of the damage done to them."
In April, Inquiry chair Sir Brian Langstaff recommended that a full compensation scheme be operational before the end of this year and that interim payments of £100,000 should be made to each bereaved family.
In his written introduction to the Kings Speech, Rishi Sunak said: "We will act swiftly in response to the final report of the Infected Blood Inquiry – following the interim payments we have already made. The use of infected blood and blood products was an appalling tragedy and a dreadful failure. Those affected deserve proper recognition of their loss and pain, as well as appropriate action to address it."
In October 2022, the government made interim payments to those infected still alive and bereaved partners, leaving two-thirds of bereaved families without any compensation - Sir Brian said in April that it was "time to put this right".
An estimated 58 victims have died since the publication of the April report.