Infected Blood Inquiry

Debate between Alexander Stafford and John Glen

Tuesday 23rd April 2024 Commons Chamber

[John Glen]

First, I agree entirely with the hon. Lady with respect to the stigma. One cannot fail to be moved by the accounts of people in the 1980s; when they contracted HIV, the stigma in society was very different from where we are today. That has caused damage to relationships, to lives, and obviously to health—many people’s cases have been terminal.

The statutory duty to make interim payments of £100,000 to the estates of deceased infected people will be carried out through the existing schemes. We are working with those schemes to work out how best to do that. That is different from recommendation 12, in that the Government took the view that we did not want to overwhelm the will of the estates—rather than divide it up among family members, which could be problematic and would cause delay. While I cannot give an authoritative date now, urgent work is ongoing to give clarity on the process for those people to register and to receive those payments.

[Alexander Stafford (Rother Valley) (Con)]

The infected blood scandal is one of the biggest stains on the history of the NHS. I am pleased to hear that we are getting interim payments out as quickly as possible, but the Minister has talked about giving payments to deceased people’s estates rather than named individuals. Could he outline his reasoning? We want to make sure that compensation goes to the correct people quickly.

[John Glen]

My hon. Friend makes a very good point. One of the challenges is that some cohorts of people are not registered but have been part of a scheme that does not now exist. How do we best expedite the process across that affected community? Those are the sorts of practical issues that I am working through with officials, so that we can reach the best possible solution when we give our comprehensive response in due course.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alexander Stafford and John Glen

Tuesday 9th May 2023 Commons Chamber

[David Simmonds (Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner) (Con)]

15. What steps he is taking to support financially people on lower incomes.

[The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (John Glen)]

The Government are taking action to protect struggling families by providing support, worth £3,300 per household on average over this year and last, to help with higher bills. That includes targeted support for the most vulnerable in our society through additional cost of living payments and the uprating of benefits by 10.1% this year. The Government have also increased the national living wage by 9.7%, representing an increase of more than £1,600 in the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the national living wage.

[Alexander Stafford]

Does my right hon. Friend agree that the best support in the cost of living crisis, beyond the £94 billion that the Government have already spent, is the cutting of inflation to ease pressures—especially on food, fuel and energy—for families in Rother Valley and up and down the country?

[John Glen]

I absolutely agree. The Government are doing three things to reduce inflation: we are remaining steadfast in supporting the independent Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England as it continues to take action to return inflation to target; we are making responsible decisions on tax and spending, so that we are not adding fuel to the fire; and we are tackling high energy prices by holding down energy bills for households and businesses, alongside investing in long-term energy security.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alexander Stafford and John Glen

Tuesday 21st March 2023 Commons Chamber

[Alexander Stafford (Rother Valley) (Con)]

T10. On behalf of all the residents of Rother Valley and especially Dinnington, I thank the Chancellor for the £12 million that we got in the Budget out of the new fund for capital regeneration projects to revitalise our high street, taking out the burnt-out building and rejuvenating the whole high street. Of course, there are other high streets across Rother Valley, such as in Maltby, Thurcroft and Swallownest, that also need help. Can the Chancellor therefore look favourably on future applications for those high streets so that they, too, can get the money that Dinnington has so necessarily got?

[John Glen]

I hesitate, because my hon. Friend is so effective in campaigning for his constituency. I am glad that we were able to confirm that extra £20 million in the Budget. We will continue to look with a constructive mindset at all the many bids that he brings forward to the Treasury.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alexander Stafford and John Glen

Tuesday 15th November 2022 Commons Chamber

[Alexander Stafford (Rother Valley) (Con)]

I welcomed the Chancellor’s predecessor to Rother Valley in the summer, to show him Dinnington high street and the money that was needed to upgrade it. He agreed to meet me further about levelling up. Will the Chancellor come to Rother Valley and Dinnington high street to see the levelling-up fund money that we need when the bid is in, and will he look kindly on our bid and make sure the whole of Rother Valley is levelled up?

[John Glen]

I am aware of my hon. Friend’s outstanding bid, and I would be happy to visit him to discuss the needs of his community and all the work he has done over the last couple of years to stand up for his constituents and secure investment in his community.