Rishi Sunak experienced a loss in Parliament as Members of Parliament voted to create a compensation organization for those affected by the contaminated blood crisis.
Members of Parliament voted in favor of an amendment to the victims and prisoners bill with a margin of 246 to 242. This amendment will mandate the government to establish a body responsible for distributing compensation within three months of the bill being enacted.
The revision, approved by 22 Conservative Members of Parliament, is the first time Sunak has faced defeat in Parliament since becoming Prime Minister.
An investigation is currently underway regarding a scandal that occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Approximately 4,800 individuals with the blood-clotting condition haemophilia were provided with blood donations from individuals infected with HIV and hepatitis C, either through donation or sale.
The government stated that there was a valid argument for providing compensation and that steps were being taken to prepare for it. However, they preferred to wait for the inquiry’s findings before proceeding.
Sir Brian Langstaff, who leads the inquiry, was initially scheduled to release the final report last month. However, the report is now anticipated to be published in March.
Around half of those impacted by the controversy have passed away, and activists emphasize the urgency of the situation.
Among the Conservative members, Sir Robert Buckland also supported the amendment.
The House of Commons erupted in cheers upon the announcement of the vote’s outcome.
The amendment, proposed by Labour MP Dame Diana Johnson, is seen as a significant progress in the prolonged battle for justice. However, she stated that it does not signify the end.
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She stated that there is still a lot of work to do in order to provide justice for those who cannot afford to wait.
Before the vote, Justice Minister Edward Argar expressed his belief that the scandal “should not have occurred” and stated that the government empathized with the purpose of the amendment.
“I, along with the rest of the House, keep those affected by this terrible tragedy in our thoughts,” he stated.
Source: theguardian.com
