I welcome Lord Mackay of Drumadoon's comments that there should be an inquiry into the use of blood contaminated with not only hepatitis C, but also HIV. Those of us who have received contaminated blood during the 1970s and 1980s, in my case after testing for HIV came into force in 1985, have lived with ill health; our lives have been devastated. For all these years, the UK Government has refused to hold an inquiry, as it claimed it would not be in the public interest and nothing new would be learned. We have seen thousands of people die as a result. None of the people responsible has had to answer for what they have done, while we have had to suffer the consequences.
The Scottish Government has said that it will hold a public inquiry into the use of blood contaminated with hepatitis C, but not HIV. Here it has the opportunity to investigate the use of all contaminated blood use during that period. It would be a waste not to do that.
Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish Health Secretary, says that the Scottish Government is waiting for the outcome of Lord Archer's inquiry, but as this inquiry has no legal capacity, this has allowed the UK Government to avoid giving evidence. A judicial inquiry would have the power to call government ministers and others to give evidence.
I would urge all MPs in Scotland, including government ministers, and all MSPs to demand that an inquiry is instituted as soon as possible.
I and others have been campaigning for over 20 years, looking for answers and yearning for the truth to come out. Yet we are told by the Department of Health that it is glad that we are still alive, thanks to the introduction of HIV medication; they don't have to take this medication to keep them alive and then live with the side-effects, both short-term and long-term.
We have been given a life sentence, with no chance of parole.
Ms Sturgeon should not wait for the Archer inquiry findings to decide what the remit of an inquiry should be. The inquiry should look at all contaminated blood.
It is in all our interests to find out why this tragedy has happened, not just for the sake of those of us who have received contaminated blood, but for everyone.
Gary Kelly, Chairman, HIV Blood Transfusion Group, and member of Tainted Blood Campaign, 100 Cartside Street, Glasgow.
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