Valerie welcomes inquiry into contaminated blood

The government’s announcement of an inquiry into the NHS contaminated blood scandal is long overdue. It has been over 45 years since people were first infected with hepatitis and HIV from NHS-supplied contaminated blood and blood products, which caused 2, 400 deaths.

It has taken a letter sent to the Prime Minister on 7 July 2017 from six party leaders in Westminster calling for a public inquiry, and an emergency debate in the House of Commons on 11 July 2017 led by Labour MP Diana Johnson, for the government to finally announce an inquiry that has been denied to victims and their families for so long.

I have previously spoken in the House of Commons on this issue as there has been a victim of contaminated blood in Walsall South. A constituent sadly lost her husband in the 1980s. Those affected have a right to know what went wrong and why. The inquiry needs to deliver full disclosure of documents relating to the disaster, through a process managed by the victims.

Anyone affected by this should give evidence to the inquiry.