The disease was passed on during blood treatment

More than 500 Scots are thought to have contracted the deadly liver disease during transfusions and other blood treatment in the 1980s before proper screening measures were introduced in 1991.

Now a lawyer representing victims has said that patients are coming forward who had contracted the condition from blood treatments as late as 1995.

Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm last week promised to consider any fresh allegations.

These included claims health chiefs were also aware of the risks of infected blood long before it was officially acknowledged in 1986.

Something has gone far wrong with the NHS and the distribution of blood products and administering them Frank Maguire Solicitor advocate

But Solicitor Advocate Frank Maguire, who is acting for many of the patients, has said that new cases are coming forward all the time.

"I'm becoming very disturbed at what I'm finding," he told BBC Scotland's Politics Scotland programme.

"The year 1986 is the date by which these products should have been super-heat treated, recognised by everyone that they should have been super-heat treated, so you would never get the virus.

"But I'm getting cases of 1987, of 1988, of 1989, of 1990, of 1991, of 1994 and of 1995.

"Now that to me says that something has gone far wrong with the NHS and the distribution of blood products and administering them."

NHS Scotland said the allegations were a matter for the Scottish health committee.

'Political will'

Meanwhile, the judge who chaired an expert group which looked into compensation has criticised the Scottish Executive's �45,000 maximum payout offer for living victims.

The group recommended a far more wide-scale compensation deal.

Lord Ross said: "Surely this is something that the country can afford, this is an executive which has accepted that their parliament building may cost �400m instead of �40m.

Malcolm Chisholm defended the compensation deal

"The group of which I was chairman was satisfied that given the will the executive could find the money and indeed should find the money."

But Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm insisted that the payments, which have yet to be issued, were adequate.

"I've got to look at this issue within the context of 101 other demands on the health budget," said Mr Chisholm.

"I've got to make a fair and reasonable offer, but people will also understand the other pressures on the health budget, so I think that I've made the right decision and targeted the resources.

"And it's a lot of money, it's �15m in the immediate future but it could well be �15m or more thereafter and I think that should be targeted on people who are still alive."