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Senedd Members urged the UK Government to speed up compensation payments to people infected and affected by the contaminated blood scandal.

Labour’s Julie Morgan, who has campaigned on the issue for three decades, pointed out that nearly a year has passed since Sir Brian Langstaff published his damning final inquiry report.

More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after receiving contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s.

Ms Morgan welcomed £11.8bn set aside by the UK Government but warned of “completely unacceptable” delays in issuing compensation to victims.

She told the Senedd: “But I can’t support the way in which the setting up of the compensation framework, and the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, has caused significant delays, and the delays in registering for the affected.”

‘40-year fight’

Ms Morgan said two people die every week while awaiting compensation and 25 infected or affected people known to Haemophilia Wales have died since the inquiry began.

The former minister warned: “I’ve been told that the compensation tariffs are so complex that it’s extremely difficult to gauge who will be eligible. However, Haemophilia Wales estimates that there’ll be around 300 infected and affected entitled to compensation in Wales.”

She added: “I’ve also heard there have been rejections of transfusion estate applications due to the destruction of medical records held at the University Hospital of Wales.”

Stressing the practical impact of delays, she explained that if an affected person, such as a widow, dies the claim to compensation dies with them unlike with an infected person.

Ms Morgan said those infected and affected, some of whom gathered on the Senedd’s steps before the debate, have been fighting for justice for 40 years.

‘Intentional’

During topical questions on April 2, she told the debating chamber: “I think it’s up to us in this Senedd to do all we possibly can to urge the UK Government, and say, ‘Look, just get on with it, it’s just been far too long.’ This has been going on for years and years.”

James Evans, the Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, added his voice to a chorus of calls to increase the pace of compensation payments.

As did his Plaid Cymru counterpart Mabon ap Gwynfor who said: “Some patients’ families who have been in contact with me believe that the matter is being dragged out and that it’s intentional on the part of the government … to avoid paying out the compensation.”

Labour’s Hefin David, who represents Caerphilly, similarly raised the case of a constituent, echoing concerns the compensation scheme may unfairly discriminate against spouses and partners.

Rhun ap Iorwerth, who chairs the Senedd cross-party group on haemophilia and infected blood, urged Welsh ministers to press the case for compensation.

‘Frustration and anger’

The Plaid Cymru leader quoted a constituent: “The government line is to meet its legal responsibilities as slowly as possible, in the hope we will all die soon and stop bothering them. We feel we are again being bullied by those in power, adding insult to severe injury.

“The situation cannot go on. The 4,000 or so infected victims must be compensated immediately so they can put the past behind them and enjoy the time they have left.”

Jeremy Miles, who was appointed Wales’ health secretary in September, said officials continue to press the UK Government on the need for timely compensation payments.

Mr Miles explained that the Infected Blood Compensation Authority is recruiting hundreds of claim managers who will prioritise claims for those nearing the end of their life.

Urged to make people’s frustration and anger known, he said: “The strength of feeling in the chamber is clear … it’s important to have a set of arrangements that can command confidence, so I’d be very happy to put the points to the UK Government in those terms.”