Infected blood victims have waited too long, says Grant Shapps

People affected by the NHS infected blood scandal have waited "far too long" for answers, the defence secretary has said. Grant Shapps told the BBC families had been let down "over decades". The final inquiry report into what is considered to be the worst treatment disaster in the history of the health service is due on Monday. Around 3,000 people given infected blood by the health service in the 1970s and 80s have already died. Mr Shapps said he could not confirm the scale of compensation payments to victims, when asked about a Sunday Times report suggesting that they could run to at least £10bn.More than 30,000 NHS patients were given contaminated products made from blood from high-risk donors in the United States. It is thought thousands later died after contracting HIV or hepatitis C from a treatment made from blood plasma or a blood transfusion. Why thousands of NHS patients were given infected blood Ministers lose infected blood vote in Tory revolt Speaking to Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said Labour would also commit to compensation, adding "justice has been delayed far too long". There was now a "rare moment of consensus" on putting things right and he expected his party to be criticised in the report, pledging it would "take that criticism on the chin".Speaking to Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Mr Shapps said: "The idea it's taken all of this time to get to the truth, I think is heartbreaking." line Infected blood inquiry: Read more I lost my mum, dad and baby sister to HIV in infected blood scandal Children used as 'guinea pigs' in clinical trials Hundreds infected with hepatitis C without knowing it, BBC finds Read more about the victims, families and what happened line It was not until 2017, under Theresa May, that an official inquiry into the scandal was set up, following years of campaigning by victims.The inquiry, chaired by former judge Sir Brian Langstaff, will give its final recommendations on Monday, with the government expected to deliver an official response during the week. Following advice from the inquiry, in 2022 the government made interim payments of £100,000 each to around 4,000 surviving victims and some bereaved partners. In April last year, Sir Brian called for a full compensation scheme to be set up immediately, and recommended interim payments should be extended to some of children and parents of those who had died. Campaigners have been calling for quicker compensation, with estimates that one victim dies every four days. These include Steve Dymond, who died in 2018 from a hepatitis C infection acquired from a blood product. Alongside his wife Su, he was among hundreds of campaigners who had called for an inquiry to be set up.