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John Peach held up pictures of Jason and Leigh, adding: “I miss these boys every day.” He was giving evidence to a public inquiry looking at how the NHS gave contaminated blood in the 1970s and 80s to up to 30,000 unsuspecting people. His sons were among at least 72 haemophiliacs who died after being given infected products at Treloar school.

Jason died aged 23 in 1993, and his elder brother five months later, aged 24.

They caught HIV and hepatitis from transfusions carried out at the Hampshire special school’s NHS-run medical centre.

After giving evidence in a cracked voice, Mr Peach, 75, said: “Thank you for the time, the inquiry, it’s been a long, long time coming.”

He said it would be “criminal” if Parliament had ignored the scandal and claimed that professionals behind the blunders have “a lot to answer for”.

The inquiry heard how the school near Alton, arranged toxic transfusions, using blood imported from the US.

Only 30 former pupils are thought to have survived the operations, and a number have given or are due to give evidence.

Yesterday, Mr Peach said he had not been kept informed of the treatment his sons were given.

It included plasma products and “concentrates” including clotting agent Factor VIII. Lead counsel Jenni Richards QC asked: “Am I right in understanding, as far as you can recall, you and your wife never received any medical information from Treloar’s whatsoever?”

The father replied: “We weren’t even informed when they had a bleed or anything like that, really.”

HIV and hepatitis sufferer Nicholas Sainsbury, 57, said: “The only information we were ever given was when the headmaster stood up at the meal time, and said ‘You’ve got the mild type so there’s nothing to worry about’.”

The school, which has since rebranded to Treloar’s, has said it was “supportive of the campaign for truth, answers and justice by our former pupils”.

The inquiry continues.

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