Contaminated Blood

Debate between Philip Dunne and Lady Hermon

Tuesday 11th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Dunne]

I shall make a little progress on devolved matters before responding to other colleagues. Regardless of the style of the inquiry, our intention is that it should cover the whole of the UK, so we will be in direct contact with counterparts in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland to discuss that with them and to seek their views before determining those aspects of the inquiry.

[Lady Hermon (North Down) (Ind)]

First, I apologise to the House, the Minister and to you, Mr Speaker, for not being present at the beginning of this very, very important debate. The Minister said that he is going to consult on the inquiry, which will be UK-wide. He will know that we do not have an Assembly, and there is no corresponding Health Minister in Northern Ireland, which is absolutely disgraceful. There is no prospect of our having such a Minister before the autumn, so with whom will the Minister liaise in Northern Ireland in the Assembly’s absence?

[Mr Dunne]

We will ask the Northern Ireland Office to facilitate discussions with officials and representatives in Northern Ireland.