Public Inquiry
Join mass lobby for compensation action
Written by Sam Wilson, February 1, 2024
A mass lobby of Parliament will take place on Wednesday 28 February to demand that the government takes action on compensation for people infected and affected by the contaminated blood scandal.
The lobby, organised by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Haemophilia and Contaminated Blood in conjunction with the Haemophilia Society and other campaign groups, is an opportunity to lobby your MP to help force government action.
We urge you to contact your MP, asking them to meet you in Parliament on 28 February. If you can’t get to Parliament, ask them to show their support by attending the lobby. We’ve put together a draft letter here, which you can amend to include your personal details. You can either post the letter to your MP or copy it into an email. You can find your MP’s name and contact details here.
As the event takes place on the day of Prime Minister’s Questions, we’ll be working with MPs to try to ensure that questions about the contaminated blood scandal are put to the Prime Minister.
With a general election expected later this year, we’re looking for commitments from the government and the Labour Party that the recommendations of the inquiry will be honoured. Time is running out to achieve this, which is why it’s important to use this lobby as effectively as we can.
Details of the mass lobby:
- Open to anyone infected or affected by the contaminated blood scandal
- Wednesday 28 February in Westminster Hall from 11am to 2.30pm
- No political banners or placards are allowed in Westminster Hall
- There will be a photocall at 12.45pm.
Let us know if you’re coming to the lobby by emailing [email protected]. Find out about how to get into Parliament here.
Let everyone know you’ll be joining us with the resources below. Right click on the images and select ‘Save Image as’ to download.
The government is causing increasing frustration and distress by refusing to respond to the Infected Blood Inquiry’s recommendations on compensation, which were published in April 2023, until the inquiry publishes its final report in May 2024.
Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the inquiry, made a series of urgent recommendations, saying there should be no delay in paying compensation. Last month Sir Brian repeated this view when he said: ‘My principal recommendation remains that a compensation scheme should be set up with urgency. No-one should be in any doubt about the serious nature of the failings over more than six decades that have led to catastrophic loss of life and compounded suffering.’
In December 2023 MPs passed an amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill which would force the government to set up a compensation scheme for people infected and affected by contaminated blood within three months of it becoming law. This is currently being debated at Committee Stage in the House of Lords.