Westminster Justice Summit

Written by Aaron Dennis, February 1, 2017

The Haemophilia Society attended the Westminster Justice Summit today, hosted by Andy Burnham MP.

At the event representatives from a large number of justice campaigns, including campaigners on contaminated blood shared their situations and challenges with the group.

In his comments, Andy Burnham said there was a need to rebalance the power between the individual and the state. It was not right, he said, that in inquests that involve public bodies, lawyers are hired at public expense to challenge and discredit bereaved families who struggle to fund their own legal representatives.

He commented specifically on the Contaminated Blood Scandal saying that it remained ‘an enormous injustice’ that needed wider support in Parliament.

The MPs, Peers and campaigners at the event discussed a series of points to reduce the cost of seeking and witnessing justice and improving both the process and outcomes of inquests, inquiries and other reviews.

Andy Burnham plans to introduce a Public Authority Accountability Bill to parliament on the 29thMarch to try to legislate for these changes.