Infected blood scandal: York victim says government 'dragging feet' over compensation

A man from York who was infected with Hepatitis C in the contaminated blood scandal says the government is "dragging its feet" on compensating victims.

Norman Revill joined others outside Parliament on Wednesday 28 February to protest the lack of progress on compensation while people affected continue to die.

The scandal has been described as the biggest treatment disaster in NHS history - with thousands across the UK infected with HIV and Hepatitis C after being given blood products in the 1970s and 80s.

Mr Revill told ITV Tyne Tees: "I think that it's time now to actually give everybody the indication that they're gonna get some compensation for this.

"There's a lot of people here who have been affected by it but there is a tremendous amount of people who aren't here because of the number of people who have died."

Mr Revill said he was given two units of blood in 1983 following an accident and did not realise until eight years later that he had contracted Hepatitis C.

Being infected with the virus had had a "massive" impact on his life, he said.

"Mentally it's been horrendous," continued Mr Revill. "The health issues that I've experienced. I almost got cirrhosis of the liver. Ive had four liver biopsies.

"[There have been] too numerous [issues] to mention really. I had 18 months on interferon beta which is like a chemotherapy, which is horrific.

"But going through all that, I'm one of the lucky ones who have actually got through it all."

Mr Revill said he had received some interim compensation a year ago but it was "not enough to keep my lifestyle running and keep the house running".

Ian Lavery, MP for Wansbeck, is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Haemophilia and Contaminated Blood.

He criticised the government for delays in handing giving victims justice and compensation.

Speaking to ITV Tyne Tees at Westminster, he said: "Six-hundred-and-eighty people have died since the inquiry began and it cannot continue.

"It looks as though this has been kicked into the long grass by the government, probably trying to limp on to get across after the election, and that's not good enough. We need justice for these people and justice now.

"These people are dying. The families and themselves need justice and they need compensation - without any further delays."

Last April the chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry said a full compensation scheme - including for the parents and children of victims - should be set up as soon as possible.

The government's position is to wait for the final report from the public inquiry - due in May - before setting out their approach to full compensation.

Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions today, Rishi Sunak said: "We've consistently acknowledged that justice should be delivered. I gave evidence to the public inquiry last year.

"The government has accepted the moral case for compensation, which is why - on Monday, in the other place - we committed to bringing forward amendments at report stage of the Victim and Prisoners Bill, with the intention of speeding up the implementation of our response to the Infected Blood Inquiry."

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