Brian Langstaff: Ministers did ‘not listen’ to blood victims

Brian Langstaff Ministers did 'not listen' to blood victims
Credit: Jeff Moore/PA

UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Inquiry chair Brian Langstaff condemned ministers for ignoring infected blood victims and called for a faster, fairer compensation system.

As reported by The Guardian, the inquiry head criticised ministers for failing to listen to infected blood victims and demanded a revamp of the compensation scheme.

Since 1970, over 30,000 people received contaminated blood, resulting in more than 3,000 deaths, with activists warning many more face death without justice.

What did Sir Brian Langstaff say about the infected blood compensation?

Sir Brian Langstaff, chair of the infected blood inquiry and author of the report, said,

“For decades, people who suffered because of infected blood have not been listened to. Once again, decisions have been made behind closed doors, leading to obvious injustices.”

He said,

“The UK government has known for years that compensation for thousands of people was inevitable and had identified many of those who should have it. But only 460 have received compensation so far, and many, many more have not even been allowed to begin the process.”

Mr Langstaff called for affected individuals to initiate compensation claims without waiting for a government invitation. He also urged giving priority to older and critically ill applicants nearing the end of life.

The inquiry chair called on the government to review the scheme, including excluding those infected with HIV before 1982, without explanation. He criticised the tough requirements for psychological harm claims and limited medical experiment victims to certain hospitals.

The report called for increased payouts for patients given interferon for hepatitis, citing its serious, life-altering effects, including psychosis and depression.

Mr Langstaff expressed that the compensation body should act more transparently and openly. He suggested involving victims and their families in scheme decisions and creating a better complaints system.

He condemned the “sluggish pace” of the scheme, raising “grave concern regarding the delay in compensation being delivered.” He pointed out “the lack of any clear timescales,” leaving victims in limbo and enduring “a significant degree of distress and anxiety.”

The inquiry highlighted that the expert group was “precluded from direct contact with anyone who had been infected or affected.” He added that the 2024 election timing reduced interaction with these groups and shortened the government’s review time.

Key facts about blood-infected patients

Scale of the tragedy

  • Over 30,000 people were infected via the NHS blood between the 1970s–90s.
  • More than 3,000 have died; many more still await justice.

Compensation delays

  • Only 460 people have been fully paid as of July 2025.
  • Just £326m out of £11.8bn has been distributed.
  • Thousands are still waiting to apply or hear back.

Exclusions & injustices

  • Victims infected with HIV before 1982 are excluded without reason.
    Claims for mental health harm need 6 months of treatment proof.
  • Interferon-treated hepatitis patients got little support.

System failures

  • Victims weren’t asked before the scheme was made.
  • Expert groups couldn’t talk to affected families.

Human impact

  • Over 100 more deaths since 2024 due to delays.
  • Families feel ignored, tired, and deeply distressed.

Government response

  • £11.8bn promised, but progress is slow and unclear.
  • The 2024 elections rushed the process without fixing issues.

Daniele Naddei

Daniele Naddei is a journalist at Parliament News covering European affairs, was born in Naples on April 8, 1991. He also serves as the Director of the CentroSud24 newspaper. During the period from 2010 to 2013, Naddei completed an internship at the esteemed local radio station Radio Club 91. Subsequently, he became the author of a weekly magazine published by the Italian Volleyball Federation of Campania (FIPAV Campania), which led to his registration in the professional order of Journalists of Campania in early 2014, listed under publicists. From 2013 to 2018, he worked as a freelance photojournalist and cameraman for external services for Rai and various local entities, including TeleCapri, CapriEvent, and TLA. Additionally, between 2014 and 2017, Naddei collaborated full-time with various newspapers in Campania, both in print and online. During this period, he also resumed his role as Editor-in-Chief at Radio Club 91.
Naddei is actively involved as a press officer for several companies and is responsible for editing cultural and social events in the city through his association with the Medea Fattoria Sociale. This experience continued until 2021. Throughout these years, he hosted or collaborated on football sports programs for various local broadcasters, including TLA, TvLuna, TeleCapri, Radio Stonata, Radio Amore, and Radio Antenna Uno.
From 2016 to 2018, Naddei was employed as an editor at newspapers of national interest within the Il24.it circuit, including Internazionale24, Salute24, and OggiScuola. Since 2019, Naddei has been one of the creators of the Rabona television program "Calcio è Passione," which has been broadcast on TeleCapri Sport since 2023.