Infected blood compensation a 'long time coming' - lawyer

A lawyer representing some of the victims of the infected blood scandal said they were "generally very happy" that compensation payments were beginning.

Thousands of patients who contracted Hepatitis C or HIV from contaminated blood will be given an interim payment of £100,000.

However Patrick McGuire, partner at Thompsons Solicitors in Glasgow, said the payments were a "long time coming".

Speaking to the BBC, he added: "This is the first time the government has used the word compensation.

"There have been support payments in the past but this is the first time that finally that word is being used and it's vital that is recognised as what is happening here - that the victims are being compensated for wrongs that were inflicted on them by the UK government."