§ Lord Morris of Manchesterasked Her Majesty's Government:
What consideration they are giving to the resolution approved on 24 May by the General Assembly of the World Federation of Haemophilia calling on all governments to provide financial recompense for the suffering caused to people with haemophilia by iatrogenic infection by the hepatitis C virus; and what information they have on the schemes for recompense already adopted or proposed by Ministers in other states in the European Union. [HL4917]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)We deeply regret that so many people with haemophilia were infected with hepatitis C through blood products. As soon as a technology became available to make blood products free from hepatitis C the National Health Service introduced it.
This Government and their predecessor have held that compensation is paid to patients only when the National Health Service has been at fault and that an exception to this rule is not justified in the case of haemophiliacs infected with hepatitis C.
We have asked member states to provide information on any relevant scheme that they may have. I will write to my noble friend when this information is available and will place a copy of my letter in the Library.