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 | You and Yours - Transcript BBC Radio 4 |
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| TX: 09.12.05 - Thalidomide PRESENTER: WINIFRED ROBINSON |
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| THE ATTACHED TRANSCRIPT WAS TYPED FROM A RECORDING AND NOT COPIED FROM AN ORIGINAL SCRIPT. BECAUSE OF THE RISK OF MISHEARING AND THE DIFFICULTY IN SOME CASES OF IDENTIFYING INDIVIDUAL SPEAKERS, THE BBC CANNOT VOUCH FOR ITS COMPLETE ACCURACY. ROBINSON And now for a good news story. People damaged by the drug Thalidomide have been offered, and have agreed, a new financial settlement. It'll see their payments double over the next 20 years. The drinks company Diageo, which bought out Distillers, the company which marketed the drug in the UK, has come to what it calls a full and final agreement with Thalidomide campaigners. Lord Blyth, the chairman of Diageo, has also issued an apology for what he's calling the Thalidomide Tragedy. Guy Tweedy helped to negotiate this new deal, he is Thalidomide damaged himself and he's from the National Advisory Council for the Thalidomide Trust. The original settlement - how did that come about? TWEEDY The original settlement started in 1961 and then came to fruition in 1973. It was a 12 year battle by David Mason, who was - had a daughter damaged by Thalidomide and with the great help of Harold Evans, who was the editor of the Sunday Times. They led a campaign and there was a bitter fight and after a year and a half of publicity a settlement was made by Distillers of £20 million. ROBINSON Put that into context for us if you would - that original £20 million, what sort of payments has that made and to how many people? TWEEDY That's made payments to 456 Thalidomide victims in the UK. The average payment to a Thalidomide victim's £13,000 a year and that's for somebody who's probably got no arms. ROBINSON And there's tax has to be paid on that too. TWEEDY There was tax. We led a campaign - we started a campaign three years go, the first battle was to get tax exemption which we won on August 5th last year. And the second battle was to go back to Diageo and to get a fair and just settlement for Thalidomide victims. In real terms we've been down 30% since 1979. ROBINSON Because of what - the cost of living? TWEEDY From the cost of living and also back in - between '73 and '79 there was a 10% capping on inflation - of payments made by Distillers and inflation went to 28% in the '70s. ROBINSON Now tell me about this new settlement and how it compares. TWEEDY This new settlement is a long range plan. It'll be doubled - the amount of compensation paid to Thalidomide victims will double between now and 2022 ... ROBINSON Gradually? TWEEDY Yes. And it'll give financial security to all the beneficiaries of the trust, it's not going to make anybody rich but it's going to give financial security and stability to people. Also the health factor is a big issue and the third part of the campaign is to get health issues dealt with by the government next year and I'd like to see a centre of excellence for all multi-limb disability people, not just Thalidomide victims, but all multi-limb disability people, so we'll be starting a campaign early next year. And [indistinct words] campaign, as I say, three years ago today we started and in three years today we've got a tax exemption and a better financial plan for Thalidomide victims. ROBINSON Lord Blyth, the chairman of Diageo, as I said, has issued an apology - how important is that? TWEEDY I think it's very important. I think that the moral obligation by corporate - corporations has changed a lot since the early '60s and '70s and I think - I think it means a lot and let's hope we can move forward and work together. ROBINSON Because Distillers never acknowledged responsibility. TWEEDY They never accepted liability all these years - they still haven't. ROBINSON Guy Tweedy thank you very much. Back to the You and Yours homepage The BBC is not responsible for external websites |
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