The Herald MSPs on the influential Holyrood health committee yesterday demanded an independent public inquiry into the case of thousands of people who contracted hepatitis C from blood products, but only after procedural manoeuvring sparked controversy.
There were claims of underhand tactics as the LibDem MSP who is to serve on the committee, Euan Robson, was barred from voting by Roseanna Cunningham, the convener and an SNP MSP. He had not been elected to the position by the full parliament following a reshuffle of LibDem portfolios.
Ms Cunningham's casting vote meant the committee backed the full inquiry. Labour members wanted the decision delayed until Mr Robson, who is newly on the committee, is qualified to vote. Andy Kerr, health minister, had argued in January any investigation would not show anything new.
An estimated 3500 people contracted the infection from blood transfusions, before adequate screening was developed in 1991. New evidence, presented yesterday by Carolyn Leckie, Scottish Socialist party MSP, showed the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) knew there was a screening option available for at least five years between 1986 and 1991. Although the test could only detect five out of every six cases of infection, the service refused to implement it.
