My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper and declare an interest, not pecuniary, as architect of the Archer inquiry.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to respond to the findings and recommendations of the independent public inquiry headed by Lord Archer of Sandwell into the infection and death of patients contaminated with HIV and hepatitis C by National Health Service blood and blood products.

Baroness Thornton: My Lords, we take this issue very seriously. We will respond when we have given the report of my noble and learned friend Lord Archer the consideration that it deserves. While successive Governments have acted in good faith, the serious infections inadvertently contracted by those patients as a result of their treatment have had tragic consequences. I am deeply sorry that this has happened. These events were the subject of long-concluded legal proceedings, and the Government have established three schemes to provide financial assistance to those affected.

My Lords, as ever I am grateful to my noble friend. Is she aware that, when I set up the inquiry two years ago, already 1,757 haemophilia patients had died from being infected; that the death toll has since risen by more than 200; and that many more are now terminally ill?

Again, I most warmly thank my noble and learned friend Lord Archer, Dr Norman Jones and Judith Willetts. Is my noble friend further aware that their report, exhaustively researched and powerfully argued, is by common consent also one of excelling integrity and humane concern for arguably the most stricken minority in Britain today? Is it too much to ask in their name now for a response of matching concern and humanity from Whitehall and Westminster?

My Lords, may I pay tribute to my noble friend for his lifelong work in this and other areas of healthcare? I understand that he made the first call for an inquiry on these issues in 1982. I join him in tribute to my noble and learned friend Lord Archer for the work that he has undertaken and the magnificent report that he has produced. We have every sympathy with those who have been infected, and their families, and we recognise that it has impaired the lives of many people.

The inquiry by my noble and learned friend Lord Archer investigated the circumstances surrounding the supply of contaminated blood in the 1970s and 1980s, and has made many detailed recommendations, all of which we will be seriously considering. My honourable friend the Secretary of State will respond as soon as we are able.

My Lords, I declare an interest as a vice-president of the Haemophilia Society. Would the Minister agree how important it is to collect data, as the inquiry says, on the dangerous and serious situation of blood safety? Would she also agree that some people are very worried at the moment, as they may have variant CJD?

My Lords, the noble Baroness makes an important point because, as your Lordships will be aware, as recently as 17 February the finding of vCJD was announced in a haemophiliac who died of other causes. It is not surprising, therefore, that people with haemophilia remain concerned that history does not repeat itself. We are taking this very seriously, and investigations are ongoing. At the moment, it seems likely that the exposure was due to contaminated blood products in the mid-1990s.

My Lords—

My Lords—

My Lords, will the Government be offering further support to the Haemophilia Society, which does such important work in this area, as a result of the inquiry?

My Lords, the work of the Haemophilia Society was absolutely vital to the production of this excellent report, and it does a wonderful job across the country supporting people with haemophilia. The society received core funding under Section 64 of the general scheme of grants for a number of years; however, that source of funding is not intended to be permanent. As we have discussed before in your Lordships’ House, we have informed the society’s chief executive that we intended to taper its core funding over three years. However, I know that officials are in discussion with the Haemophilia Society about funding opportunities, because we are very keen that it should continue and develop its important work.

My Lords—

My Lords—

Cross Bench!

My Lords, what policies do the Government have to prevent transmission of infections to haemophiliacs via blood products?

My Lords, the noble Lord will be aware, more than I am indeed, that in 1985 heat treatment for plasma-derived blood products became available. That removed the risk of HIV and hepatitis C and all blood donors are tested. To remove any potential for transmission of infection through donor-sourced products, since 1988 all children in the UK have had access to recombinant—that is, synthetic clotting factors, which are completely safe. In February 2003, the Government announced additional funding to extend availability to adult haemophiliacs in England and all haemophilia patients are now eligible for treatment with those synthetic products. We will continue to provide funding for that; we are committed to this. Expenditure on these products has risen from £21 million in 2004-05 to £46 million in 2008-09.

My Lords—

My Lords, there is an expression that I was brought up with, which goes “fair words butter no parsnips”.

Liberal Democrats!

My Lords, I am on my feet. Why should I break the habit of a lifetime? Fair words butter no parsnips. Would it not be much easier just to say that both Governments have made a terrible error in this issue and that compensation will be paid, period? That is all that needs to be said.

My Lords, all Governments have been apologising for this since 1987, and there are funds available for those people that both Governments have established.

My Lords, does the Minister agree that perhaps the most chilling point in the excellent report from the noble and learned Lord, Lord Archer, is that many of these people were infected as a result of being given experimental products without their consent or knowledge? In light of that, does she agree that the current system of compensation is inadequate and ineffective and that the Department of Health and the Department for Work and Pensions need to act rapidly to ensure that those people who still survive no longer face an uncertain future in dire poverty?

My Lords, £140 million have so far been given to the people who are infected, and we shall consider carefully the recommendations of the noble and learned Lord, Lord Archer, particularly relating to payments for infected individuals and their carers.