Press Release
Thursday 12th June 2008 starting at 10:00am sharp.
The venue for the public hearings is 1 The Abbey Garden, Great College Street, London, SW1P 3SE, which is part of the Palace of Westminster.
Still and moving cameras, and sound recording equipment may be brought to the Inquiry hearing room and priority will be given to the media.
Members of the media who wish to attend should register their interest with the Secretary to the Inquiry, Mr Vijay Mehan on tel: 07866 588691; e-mail: media@archercbbp.com
Below is a list of the witnesses, which can also be found of our website of www.archercbbp.com
Witnesses
1 Graham Ross
Solicitor involved in claimant litigation in early 1990’s
10:00 – 11:00 am
2. Frank Maguire
Solicitor involved in making representations to Lord Ross’s Inquiry & Scottish Parliament Health Committee
11:00- 12:00pm
3. The Macfarlane Trust
Martin Harvey - Chief Executive Officer
&
The Skipton Fund
Martin Harvey -Secretary
12:00- 12:30pm
As a result of considering the extensive disclosure of documents and time spent drafting Lord Archer’s Report, the Tribunal Panel have not heard evidence for many months. Lord Archer is now nearing the completion of the last chapters of his report.
Before doing so however, it was felt the Tribunal Panel must listen to evidence on the history of the litigation surrounding the harm caused by contaminated blood and blood products.
We therefore hope to learn about some of the issues surrounding the initial litigation, on what basis it was constructed, what happened to these claims and whether the Claimants have in some way renounced their right to bring further proceedings.
In addition, and in consequence of having further questions for the Macfarlane Trust and Skipton Fund, we have invited the Chief Executive of these financial schemes to provide further assistance to us.
We shall therefore be gratefully hearing from Mr Graham Ross, a Solicitor, who played a large part in the litigation that was the prelude to the set up of the Macfarlane Trust.
Mr Frank Maguire, Solicitor, will tell us about his representations made to the Scottish Parliament Health Committee on 31St January 2006. In particular Mr Maguire may be able give us his view on what model of awards could have been made to claimants.
Mr Martin Harvey is Chief Executive Officer of the Macfarlane Trust, which makes payments to sufferers of HIV & AIDS, contaminated through blood and blood products.
