Theresa May has announced an inquiry into the use of contaminated blood products in the NHS that killed thousands of people in the 1970s and 80s.
At least 2,400 people throughout the UK are thought to have died after being given blood products infected with hepatitis C and HIV.
The announcement from Jeremy Hunt follows a campaign from former Labour minister Andy Burnham and a joint letter calling for a public inquiry from the leaders of the six opposition parties.
Earlier this week, Andy Burnham said he was prepared to go the police if the Government failed to act on the scandal.
He said: I’ve got extensive evidence that’s been sent to me by many victims of serious crimes in my view falsification of medical records, people being tested for hepatitis C, HIV without their knowledge or consent.
Also positive diagnoses of HIV and hep C being withheld from people and those people not knowing that they had it subsequently then infecting partners or other family members. Serious, serious allegations.
It comes just hours before a scheduled emergency debate in the Commons requested by Labour MP Diana Johnson and highlights the political problems faced by the Prime Minister.
After the disastrous election campaign, Mrs May has been left with a wafer-thin majority in the Commons following her £1.5bn confidence and supply deal with the DUP.
However, a joint letter signed by six party leaders, calling for an inquiry into the scandal branded one of the worst peacetime disasters in our country’s history, includes the signature of DUP leaders.
That means Mrs May would be almost certain to loss a Commons vote on the issue.
Details of the UK-wide investigation have yet to be finalised, and consultations will take place with those people affected as to how best to proceed.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman told a Westminster briefing: Jeremy Hunt said that 2,400 people had died and it was necessary to establish the causes of this appalling injustice.
At PMQs last week Theresa May said anyone with new information on the scandal should pass it to ministers so they can properly investigate it.
The contaminated blood issue has already been the subject of two official reviews, but calls for a wide-ranging inquiry have grown amid allegations of a cover-up by Department of Health officials.