Edward Argar responds after the government's crushing Commons defeat on Monday night
Rishi Sunak suffered the first Commons defeat of his premiership on Monday evening after more than 20 Conservative MPs sided with Labor in a vote over the tainted blood scandal.
The government made a last-ditch effort to prevent a rebellion, but it was not enough to persuade senior members of the Conservative party, including former cabinet ministers Chloe Smith and Damian Green, to stand down.
Other prominent Tory rebels included former ministers Sir Robert Buckland, Dame Andrea Jenkins, Robin Walker and Tracey Crouch.
Twenty-two Tory rebels have backed a Labor Party bid to speed up payments to blood poisoning victims, overturning the Prime Minister's majority.
The amendment, which would have required the creation of a new body to administer compensation within three months, is now set to become law.
To keep restless Tory MPs onside, ministers have promised a last-minute change of their own that would lay a “legal framework” to create a body to pay out payments to victims.
But the government still lost by four votes as nearly two dozen Tories challenged Mr Sunak to back Labor's proposals on Monday night.
< p>Deputy Speaker Sir Roger Gale called for order to the applause and excitement of MPs processing the result.
Victims and their families have been campaigning already for many years Photo: Victoria Jones/PA
Shadow Cabinet Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds welcomed the vote as a “remarkable victory” for victims of the tainted blood scandal.
“I pay tribute to all those who fought so hard in this campaign, including my colleague Dame Diana Johnson, and I am proud that the Labor Party supported them in this vote,” he said.
“ The Government now has a responsibility to do the right thing and take the steps necessary to urgently establish a final body for the compensation scheme.
“The Labor Party will continue to apply pressure to ensure that no more valuable time is wasted.” lost and that victims will be able to receive long overdue compensation, recognition and justice.”
The tainted blood scandal has been described as the biggest medical disaster in the history of the NHS.
Between 1970 and 1991, thousands of people with haemophilia and other bleeding disorders became infected with HIV and hepatitis viruses after being given a clotting agent blood called factor VIII.
Other people have been infected through blood transfusions after surgery or childbirth. .
It is estimated that about 1,350 people became infected with HIV, and about 30,000 were infected with hepatitis. About 3,000 people are believed to have died.
Theresa May, the former prime minister, set up the tainted blood inquiry in 2017 to investigate the scandal and possible compensation.
The government insists it is right to wait for the verdict, which is expected in March next year. before deciding on next steps. Meanwhile, victims and their families have been paid temporary payments of £100,000 per person announced last summer.
But Labor said the wait until next spring was too long and more needed to be done . done now to ensure that victims get the justice they deserve.
Initially, the government stood firm in its position. A spokesman said Monday: “We deeply sympathize with the strength of feelings on this issue and understand the need for action.”
“However, it would be wrong to prejudge the conclusions of the final decision. the report on contaminated blood is due in March 2024. It is right that these findings be published and considered before any legislation is proposed, including any compensation scheme.”
But speaking later in the House of Commons, Edward Argar, the Home Secretary, went on some partial concessions.
He said: “We have looked very carefully at the proposals made by [Home Affairs Committee chairwoman Diana Johnson] which have received broad support in this House.”
“The Government has said it has already accepted the moral case for compensation and is grateful for the work of [inquiry leader] Sir Brian Langstaff.
“The Government is very sympathetic to the [Dame Diana] amendment and the intention to ensure that there is a legal basis for the creation of a delivery authority.
“When the Bill reaches the Lords, the Government will introduce its own amendment which will set out the necessary legislative framework and time frames for the organization to deliver compensation to victims of tainted blood should be set in accordance with the overall objectives set out in the new clause 27 (Ladies of Diana).
“This ensures that the government can act quickly once an investigation report is received.”
He said the Government would provide a progress statement to the House of Commons ahead of the House rebellion at Christmas.
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“We are committed to updating Parliament with a verbal statement on next steps within 25 days of the publication of the final report.” , he added.
Dame Diana's amendment was approved by 246 votes. 242, majority four.
The Telegraph previously reported that total government compensation for victims of the tainted blood scandal could cost more than £20 billion.
Sir Brian Langstaff, the former judge who led the public inquiry, made it clear that the scheme was meant to redress the damage. not only the “infected” but also the “affected”, with the latter group including spouses, parents of children infected under the age of 18, siblings who lived with the infected person, caregivers and dependents of the deceased.
The lack of clarity about the exact number of people infected and affected has led to significant uncertainty about how much the payments might be worth in the long term.
In a letter to Jeremy Hunt informing him of Labour's support, Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said In advocating for the amendment on Monday, she called the scandal “one of the most horrific tragedies in our nation's recent history.”
She wrote: “This week we have an opportunity to work together to begin to bring justice for the victims. Blood contaminated with hepatitis C and HIV has stolen lives, destroyed opportunities and damaged livelihoods.”
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