Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry on 7 May 2025, whether he intends to review (a) the compensation regulations and (b) the tariffs.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As I said in my oral evidence to the Inquiry, I am open to considering a number of areas of the Scheme where doing so does not cause undue delay to the delivery of compensation. The Inquiry will be producing a further report and the Government will respond to this report when it is published
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme, if he will review the supplementary route for people for whom the impact of their viruses and their treatments are not fully captured by the core route tariff.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Infected Blood Inquiry Response Expert Group provided advice on the design of infection severity bands for the core route. They considered the health impacts and treatments that applicants are likely to have experienced. This includes many side effects of treatments, including interferon, and conditions such as chronic fatigue. The core route tariffs therefore already take into account conditions that infected people are likely to experience as a result of their infection or treatment.
The supplementary route, as set out in the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2025, provides additional awards for applicants whose circumstances necessitate a higher compensation payment. As a result, the eligibility criteria for the Severe Health Condition award reflects the conditions and impacts the Expert Group identified as not being addressed in other aspects of the scheme, including the core route or Exceptional Loss award.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the tariffs for people infected with Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The impact of a Hepatitis infection can range from very mild to very severe, including liver failure and death as a direct result of the infection. In its second interim report, the Infected Blood Inquiry recommended that the compensation scheme should reflect the different impacts of infection by developing severity bandings.
The Expert Group provided the Government with clinical advice on the distinctions between these impacts. This meant the Government could set severity bands for Hepatitis infections based on clear clinical markers.
As set out in the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2025, where someone’s experience of Hepatitis, whether it is historic or in the present day, has been more severe, they will receive more compensation.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the commitments he made when giving evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry on 7 May 2025, when he plans to respond to the five areas of compensation regulations following his review.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As I said in my oral evidence to the Inquiry, I am open to considering a number of areas of the Scheme where doing so does not cause undue delay to the delivery of compensation. The Inquiry will be producing a further report and the Government will respond to this report when it is published.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to fine utility companies for inconvenience caused when their roadworks overrun.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Utility companies are already incentivised to complete works on time with charges of up to £10,000 per day for works that overrun. We have announced that these charges will apply to weekends and bank holidays. We are also doubling fixed penalty notices for companies that breach permit conditions. These conditions can include setting days and times when works can take place.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to incentivise utility companies to not overrun on roadworks.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Utility companies are already incentivised to complete works on time with charges of up to £10,000 per day for works that overrun. We have announced that these charges will apply to weekends and bank holidays. We are also doubling fixed penalty notices for companies that breach permit conditions. These conditions can include setting days and times when works can take place.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to implement the recommendations made by the Leveson Inquiry on independent press regulation.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government has clearly laid out its priorities in the manifesto and in the King’s speech, and the second part of Leveson is not among them. There are no current plans for further legislation.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will take steps to update the technology required to read (a) diacritical characters and (b) accents marks in the biographical information of UK passport holders.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
British passports meet the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). While these standards permit the use of either diacritic marks or their transliteration, the number of countries that have adopted use of diacritics in their passport is very low.
There are currently no plans to introduce the inclusion of diacritic marks in the British passport. However, this will remain a consideration ahead of any future system developments.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the oral statement of the Minister for Defence People and Families of 13 December 2023 on LGBT Veterans Independent Review, Official Report, column 898, what his planned timetable is for a full debate on the recommendations of the Etherton report.
Answered by Andrew Murrison
This Government commissioned the LGBT Veterans Independent Review under Lord Etherton in 2022 which covers the period 1967-2000. Its findings were published on 19 July 2023. Since then, the Government has been actioning Lord Etherton’s recommendationsat pace. I made an oral statement on 13 December 2023 when the Government’s full response was published and took questions from 20 colleagues. A debate will be scheduled as soon as possible.
Asked by: Clive Efford (Labour - Eltham and Chislehurst)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with Southeastern on new rolling stock.
Answered by Huw Merriman
In late 2022, Southeastern went to the market for expressions of interest to replace its ageing Networker fleet at the end of its lease. This could be through refurbishing or cascading existing rolling stock, new build, or a combination of both. An invitation to pre-qualify will be issued to interested suppliers shortly.
Any replacement rolling stock will be subject to a successful business case required to support the investment decision and ensure value for money.