A St Neots man who is fighting for justice for the victims and families of the contaminated blood scandal is one of 26 campaigners meeting with a Government minister on January 28.

Tony Farrugia, who gave evidence at the Infected Blood Inquiry, in London, last October has told The Hunts Post he has been asked to attend the cabinet office and meet with minister Oliver Dowden.

He is, however, not hopeful of a positive outcome and believes the Government is still trying to "push its own agenda" and causing unnecessary delays.

"All the evidence is out there already," said Mr Farrugia.

"The Government just needs to accept liability, in the same way they have in Ireland, and face up to what happened and compensate families fairly. What we don't want to do is keep going over old ground. People are still dying and we have wasted enough time already.

"This has been going on since the mid-eighties and it is time for the Government to step up and stop fobbing us off."

Mr Farrugia wants the Government to accept liability and compensate people now rather than wait until after the inquiry, which is due to start again on February 24.

During his evidence at the inquiry, which was powerful, but also harrowing, he told Sir Brian Langstaff, who is leading the inquiry team, how his father's death, ripped the family apart.

Tony's father, Barry, who was a haemophiliac, died in September 1986, after contracting the HIV virus from contaminated blood products. Tony and his twin brother David were taken into separate care homes.

Barry Furrugia's medical records show he was given the Factor VIII blood clotting agent even though he had a mild form of haemophilia, which it is being argued could have been managed without invasive treatment.

Medical records for Barry Furrugia were read out to the inquiry which painted a picture of a man who died not only a physically distressful death, but also of someone who suffered mentally and emotionally.

"The children of those who died are a lost generation, we have been overlooked, forgotten and let down. We are the 'can' that has been kicked down the road. We lost far more than our parents. It's as if we don't exist."

Mr Furrugia is core participant in the legal action.