A HAEMOPHILIAC from Grappenhall has spoken of his disappointment after the Government rejected a motion to grant compensation to those infected with tainted NHS blood.

On October 14 a debate on how the contaminated blood products affected haemophilia patients, was tabled by Warrington South MP David Mowat.

The motion, rejected by all but five MPs, looked at the Contaminated Blood (Support for Infected and Bereaved Persons) Bill, which aims to help those afflicted and bereaved through treatment with tainted blood products.

Mike Kenwright, of Chester Road, was infected with hepatitis when the Government used to buy blood products from America.

Those products, used to treat his haemophilia, were from prison donors and drug addicts who were paid for their contributions.

As a result around 4,000 people were infected with HIV and hepatitis during the 1970s and early 1980s and 2,000 have died since.

Mr Kenwright, aged 60, has relentlessly campaigned to get compensation for people infected with blood diseases by the NHS.

He said: “I watched from the public gallery in the House Of Commons while once again this Government sentenced those surviving haemophiliacs to a life of pain, poverty, suffering and death.

“This motion would have brought a small amount of financial help to those who still survive but face the same fate.

“After Government promises before the election to address this issue with compassion, once again we saw MPs who could not even be bothered to attend the debate, refuse any help to the victims of NHS infected treatment.”

Mr Mowat confirmed the motion would be acted upon again by Christmas, as promised by Health Minister Anne Milton.

He said: “Applying the formula that was proposed in the House of Commons, which copied Irish proposals, would have cost taxpayers about £3 billion. Although I support compensation, this need not cost so much. The proposals I made in my speech would cost much less and would be a massive step forward.

“The motion I have tabled, which has already attracted cross-party support, urges the passage of the Contaminated Blood (Support for Infected and Bereaved Persons) Bill which does not contain the Irish linkage.

“The contaminated blood issue is a tragedy and successive Governments have failed to properly help victims. I welcome the review that the Government has announced. It has promised action before Christmas and I will make sure that they are held to that.”