Wait goes on for infected blood scandal couple

Parents of a boy who died after being given a blood transfusion infected with HIV have said they are "disappointed" the compensation process will not start until autumn.

Colin Smith, from Newport, died from Aids when he was just seven years old in 1990 after being given the blood as a baby.

His dad, Colin, said he would still have to apply for the scheme in October and it meant families like his were still waiting for "justice" after 34 years.

Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds has announced a scheme would be set up with payments of £100,000 made to the estates of dead people.

This year, BBC Wales Investigates found that Colin's doctor, Prof Arthur Bloom, broke his own rules in enabling imported blood to be used.

Colin, who had haemophilia and was diagnosed as a baby, was treated by Prof Bloom's unit.

Now Colin's family said, despite a new government, they were still waiting for compensation.

"Its a bit disappointing because we've been waiting for two years since Sir Brian Langstaff published the interim report saying pay the parents," he said.

"Yet here we are still - we've got a new government but we have got to apply in October and then wait.

"When they [the government] paid out on the HIV they just sent the money, the infected blood people, they've got all the details they want to make us jump through hoops - there's no clarity of what we are going to do."

Colin and his wife said they had not received any financial payout.

"They [the victims] should all be treated with equal respect. Why have we got to wait till October to apply - then maybe get a letter of administration that could take three months and cost money," he added.

"He was a child - there's not that many parents who have lost children - couple of dozen families in our position.

"They have got the children's names and details and they're still making us run through hoops, just get on with it, we have been fighting 34 years.