A South Cumbrian MP has called for action to tackle ‘the culture of defensiveness’ in the wake of the inquiry into the infected blood scandal.

MP for Barrow and Furness Michelle Scrogham spoke on the importance of delivering compensation to victims and changing culture in Parliament.

The infected blood scandal saw more than 30,000 NHS patients receive blood transfusions or treatments contaminated with deadly diseases between 1970 and 1991, and more than 3,000 people have died as a result.

A report by Sir Brian Langstaff found ‘institutional defensiveness’ and concluded doctors, bodies including the NHS, and governments had ‘repeatedly’ failed victims of the infected blood scandal.

Speaking in parliament, minister for the cabinet office Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “We recognise that as well as delivering institutional change, we must provide financial redress to people whose life has been irreversibly and tragically changed as a result of the infected blood scandal.”

He also told Parliament the cabinet office is working with other bodies to establish the process for making interim payments of £100,000 to the estates of deceased people who were infected with contaminated blood or blood products, and whose deaths have not yet been recognised.

Mrs Scrogham said: “Like many others in the house, I have constituents who have been deeply impacted by this scandal and will welcome the statement.

“Does the Minister agree that it is vital that we take action not only to deliver the compensation, but to tackle the culture of defensiveness, which we have seen in this scandal and in every other scandal that has emerged? If we do not tackle it now, it is never going to change.”

In response Mr Thomas-Symonds said: “Anyone who reads Sir Brian Langstaff’s report will see the emphasis he puts on culture and the chilling nature of what he talks about as institutional defensiveness.

“That is something we need to change. We will put forward legislative measures that we hope will make a significant difference, but it is also a question of attitudes and culture and changing that will require.”