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| Contaminated blood inquiry: Extra money 'a matter for the assembly' | Contaminated blood inquiry: Extra money 'a matter for the assembly' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Any decision over more financial aid for victims of the contaminated blood scandal should be a matter for the assembly, an inquiry has heard. | Any decision over more financial aid for victims of the contaminated blood scandal should be a matter for the assembly, an inquiry has heard. |
| The Infected Blood Inquiry is looking into what has been called "the worst treatment scandal" in NHS history. | The Infected Blood Inquiry is looking into what has been called "the worst treatment scandal" in NHS history. |
| Some 4,800 people with haemophilia were infected with hepatitis C or HIV in the 1970s and 1980s. | Some 4,800 people with haemophilia were infected with hepatitis C or HIV in the 1970s and 1980s. |
| A letter from Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley about financial support was read out on Thursday. | |
| She was responding to an email from an anonymous witness to the inquiry. | She was responding to an email from an anonymous witness to the inquiry. |
| There have been complaints that victims of the contaminated blood scandal in England and Scotland are receiving more financial help than those in Wales and Northern Ireland. | There have been complaints that victims of the contaminated blood scandal in England and Scotland are receiving more financial help than those in Wales and Northern Ireland. |
| Witness I asked Mrs Bradley about the extra money which has been received by victims in England, and asked if Northern Ireland could follow suit. | Witness I asked Mrs Bradley about the extra money which has been received by victims in England, and asked if Northern Ireland could follow suit. |
| The witness told the inquiry he had received a response on Thursday. | The witness told the inquiry he had received a response on Thursday. |
| Mrs Bradley said: "It is only right that those whose lives have been blighted should receive the care and assistance they need. | Mrs Bradley said: "It is only right that those whose lives have been blighted should receive the care and assistance they need. |
| "Of course the best means of supporting victims in Northern Ireland is via a functioning assembly in which locally elected ministers can speak up and act on their behalf. | "Of course the best means of supporting victims in Northern Ireland is via a functioning assembly in which locally elected ministers can speak up and act on their behalf. |
| "That is why securing a successful outcome to the talks process is my absolute priority." | "That is why securing a successful outcome to the talks process is my absolute priority." |
| 'Held back' | 'Held back' |
| Responding, Witness I said: "We're just stalled again and we will just be held back and used to try to get politicians with no relevance to this inquiry back around a table. | Responding, Witness I said: "We're just stalled again and we will just be held back and used to try to get politicians with no relevance to this inquiry back around a table. |
| "I don't think Stormont has anything to do with this. I think the fact the scheme is already in place, it just takes a civil servant or herself [Mrs Bradley] to sign a page and uplift it [the financial assistance] to mirror England." | |
| In a statement, the Department of Health said: "Payments to beneficiaries in Northern Ireland were at similar levels to England's scheme until the recent announcement regarding an uplift for English beneficiaries on the 30 April 2019. | In a statement, the Department of Health said: "Payments to beneficiaries in Northern Ireland were at similar levels to England's scheme until the recent announcement regarding an uplift for English beneficiaries on the 30 April 2019. |
| "There were no extra resources for Northern Ireland as a result of the English announcement. | "There were no extra resources for Northern Ireland as a result of the English announcement. |
| "The department is considering the Northern Ireland position in light of these recent developments and will participate in discussions with the other UK regions in forthcoming weeks." | "The department is considering the Northern Ireland position in light of these recent developments and will participate in discussions with the other UK regions in forthcoming weeks." |
| Northern Ireland has been without a devolved power-sharing government for more than two-and-a-half years, after the DUP and Sinn Féin split in a bitter row. | Northern Ireland has been without a devolved power-sharing government for more than two-and-a-half years, after the DUP and Sinn Féin split in a bitter row. |
| The inquiry is looking at why thousands of people with haemophilia were infected with hepatitis C or HIV in the 1970s and 1980s. | The inquiry is looking at why thousands of people with haemophilia were infected with hepatitis C or HIV in the 1970s and 1980s. |
| With allegations of a cover-up, no-one in government or the NHS has been held to account. | With allegations of a cover-up, no-one in government or the NHS has been held to account. |
| Some people have waited 30 years for a full public inquiry. | Some people have waited 30 years for a full public inquiry. |
| Earlier on Thursday, a man told the inquiry he has "gone through a process of hell" as a result of receiving contaminated blood. | Earlier on Thursday, a man told the inquiry he has "gone through a process of hell" as a result of receiving contaminated blood. |
| Nigel Hamilton, 58, gave evidence a day after his twin brother, Simon. | Nigel Hamilton, 58, gave evidence a day after his twin brother, Simon. |
| Both men have haemophilia and contracted hepatitis C as a result of receiving contaminated blood products. | Both men have haemophilia and contracted hepatitis C as a result of receiving contaminated blood products. |
| Nigel Hamilton received contaminated blood during an operation in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast in the 1970s. | Nigel Hamilton received contaminated blood during an operation in the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast in the 1970s. |
| He said he was often starved of information and was only told he had contracted the virus during a routine visit to a hospital in England, despite the Belfast Health Trust knowing about the diagnosis some 12 months previously. | He said he was often starved of information and was only told he had contracted the virus during a routine visit to a hospital in England, despite the Belfast Health Trust knowing about the diagnosis some 12 months previously. |
| "As you can imagine the very first experience of hearing this left me in total shock," he said. | "As you can imagine the very first experience of hearing this left me in total shock," he said. |
| He said sufferers across the UK need closure. | He said sufferers across the UK need closure. |
| In his testimony he recounted a life which has experienced two marriage breakdowns, cancer and the loss of his career. | In his testimony he recounted a life which has experienced two marriage breakdowns, cancer and the loss of his career. |
| He told the inquiry his life had been "destroyed" and referred to the blood scandal as a "national disaster". | He told the inquiry his life had been "destroyed" and referred to the blood scandal as a "national disaster". |
| While he said he does not expect to get justice, he hoped the inquiry would help him and thousands of others to find "closure". | While he said he does not expect to get justice, he hoped the inquiry would help him and thousands of others to find "closure". |
| Addressing the inquiry chairman, Sir Brian Langstaff, he said: "We will never get justice. Through you sir, and your good judgement, we will get closure." | Addressing the inquiry chairman, Sir Brian Langstaff, he said: "We will never get justice. Through you sir, and your good judgement, we will get closure." |
| His brother, Simon, gave evidence on Wednesday and said he felt like he was the "last to know" about his own case. | His brother, Simon, gave evidence on Wednesday and said he felt like he was the "last to know" about his own case. |
| What is the scandal about? | What is the scandal about? |
| About 5,000 people with haemophilia and other bleeding disorders are believed to have been infected with HIV and hepatitis viruses over a period of more than 20 years. | About 5,000 people with haemophilia and other bleeding disorders are believed to have been infected with HIV and hepatitis viruses over a period of more than 20 years. |
| That was because they were injected with blood products used to help their blood clot. | That was because they were injected with blood products used to help their blood clot. |
| It was a treatment introduced in the early 1970s - before then, patients faced lengthy stays in hospital to have transfusions, even for minor injuries. | It was a treatment introduced in the early 1970s - before then, patients faced lengthy stays in hospital to have transfusions, even for minor injuries. |
| The UK was struggling to keep up with demand for the treatment - known as clotting agent Factor VIII - and so supplies were imported from the US. | The UK was struggling to keep up with demand for the treatment - known as clotting agent Factor VIII - and so supplies were imported from the US. |
| But much of the human blood plasma used to make the product came from donors such as prison inmates, who sold their blood. | But much of the human blood plasma used to make the product came from donors such as prison inmates, who sold their blood. |
| The blood products were made by pooling plasma from up to 40,000 donors and concentrating it. | The blood products were made by pooling plasma from up to 40,000 donors and concentrating it. |
| People who had blood transfusions after an operation or childbirth were also exposed to the contaminated blood - as many as 30,000 people may have been infected. | People who had blood transfusions after an operation or childbirth were also exposed to the contaminated blood - as many as 30,000 people may have been infected. |
| By the mid-1980s, the products started to be heat treated to kill the viruses. | By the mid-1980s, the products started to be heat treated to kill the viruses. |
| But questions remain about how much was known before that and why some contaminated products remained in circulation. | But questions remain about how much was known before that and why some contaminated products remained in circulation. |
| Screening of blood products began in 1991. | Screening of blood products began in 1991. |
| By the late 1990s, synthetic treatments for haemophilia became available, removing the infection risk. | By the late 1990s, synthetic treatments for haemophilia became available, removing the infection risk. |