The infected blood inquiry and compensation framework

During the 1970s and 1980s thousands of UK patients contracted HIV, hepatitis viruses, or both, from contaminated blood or blood products. Following pressure from campaign groups and Parliamentarians, the then Prime Minister, Theresa May, announced a public inquiry into the matter on 11 July 2017 to examine the circumstances that led to individuals being given contaminated blood and blood products in the UK.

The Infected Blood Inquiry is chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff, a former High Court judge, and terms of reference for the inquiry were announced in summer 2018. Hearings followed shortly afterwards. The inquiry is ongoing and is expected to report in mid-2023.

This debate pack provides further information on the Government’s infected blood support schemes, the development of a framework for compensation and the interim compensation payments recently made to those infected, and to bereaved partners, currently registered on UK infected blood support schemes.