Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Written Ministerial Statement made on 5 September 2022, what progress the Government has made on the commitment that interim payments be made to those infected and affected by contaminated blood by the end of October 2022.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
I can confirm infected individuals and bereaved partners who are registered with any of the four UK infected blood support schemes will receive interim compensation payments of £100,000 by the end of October. The administrators of the four schemes are writing to beneficiaries this week confirming the £100,000 alongside details of how the money will be paid.
This meets a key government commitment to meet, in full, the recommendations set out by Infected Blood Inquiry Chair Sir Brian Langstaff in his interim report.
Asked by: Aaron Bell (Conservative - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Government will next hold discussions with (a) victims and (b) victims' families of the contaminated blood scandal on a framework for compensation.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
In January 2020, the then Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Minister for Patient Safety met campaigners representing the people infected and affected, and campaigners raised a number of issues about the support that would assist them outside of the Inquiry process. Ministers have committed to looking at these issues carefully, including to consider a request to look at a framework for compensation before the Inquiry reports, and to report back on where progress can be made. The Paymaster General is the lead Minister for the Inquiry and is taking forward these actions.