Question reference: S1W-00823
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 6 August 1999
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Current status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 2 November 1999
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set up a body, similar to the MacFarlane Trust which exists to provide help to people in the haemophilia community who incur extra costs of living arising from HIV or AIDS as a result of having received contaminated blood products in the UK, to provide such support for those who have contracted hepatitis C in the same manner.
Answer
The circumstances surrounding those who may have contracted Hepatitis C through treatment with blood products are tragic. I have met the Haemophilia Society to hear their concerns at first hand and officials within my Department are making enquiries into the circumstances surrounding this issue. I will be better placed to consider whether any further action on the part of the Scottish Executive is indicated when these enquiries are completed.