Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has had discussions with the Infected Blood Compensation Authority on the potential cost to the public purse of using external communications companies.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is an operationally independent body. IBCA are working with external companies to help them develop their service and reach those who are eligible. For example, external companies will be used to support IBCA in building a digital service, storing data, offering legal and financial support to those claiming.
They will also be used to plan future communication work to reach all potential claimants, and especially those who are not already registered with a support service. All of these are requirements for IBCA to deliver compensation as swiftly and compassionately as possible.
Commercial contracts are necessary to progress this work and all contracts are awarded through fair and open competition using a tendering process. The budget for IBCA’s communications activity is separate from the funding for compensation itself.
As sponsor Minister, I am committed to working with IBCA to monitor its performance and ensure compensation is delivered to everyone who is eligible as quickly as possible.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many members of the infected blood community were selected for the testing of compensation payments in Norwich South constituency.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As of 21 February 2025, IBCA has invited 204 people to start their compensation claim. IBCA claims managers are taking them through the process and 38 offers of compensation have been made, with a total value of £48.2 million. This information is not available for specific constituencies.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to introduce further regulations to enable the Infected Blood Compensation Authority to issue payments to the affected.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Subject to Parliamentary approval, I am aiming for the second set of Infected Blood regulations to be in force by 31st March 2025.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many members of the infected blood community were invited to start their claim for compensation between 17 October 2024 and 31 December 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Between 17 October and 31 December 2024, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority invited 45 people to make a claim for compensation, comprising the initial group of 20 invitees and a further group of 25 at the end of December. The Authority made the first compensation offers to 10 people with a total value of more than £13 million, and so far 4 of those offers have been paid out.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many compensation payments were made by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority between 17 October 2024 and 31 December 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Between 17 October and 31 December 2024, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority invited 45 people to make a claim for compensation, comprising the initial group of 20 invitees and a further group of 25 at the end of December. The Authority made the first compensation offers to 10 people with a total value of more than £13 million, and so far 4 of those offers have been paid out.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date the Infected Blood Compensation Authority compensation scheme will open for members of the infected blood community to make claims.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Infected Blood Compensation Authority opened the compensation scheme to a small number of people in October 2024 as part of the initial development and testing of the compensation payment service. This will increase to around 250 people by March of this year, increasing to larger numbers after that. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority is responsible for the operational delivery of the scheme, including the management of the application process.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what date applications for interim payments of £100,000 to the estates of deceased people whose deaths have not yet been recognised by a previous interim payment will open.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The process under which estates can apply for interim compensation payments opened on 24th October. These payments are to be made to the estates of deceased infected persons, where interim payments have not already been received, in those cases where the deceased infected person was registered with an existing or predecessor scheme on or before 17 April 2024. Details on how to make an application can be found on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/infected-blood-compensation-estates
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme will be open.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government is committed to acting on the findings of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s Report and providing compensation to victims as quickly as possible. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority is established in law and work is progressing to put the operational systems in place with the expectation of beginning payments by the end of this year. To date, over £1 billion has been paid in interim compensation to infected people who were registered with the existing Infected Blood Support Schemes and their bereaved partners.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme will replace the Infected Blood Support Scheme.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
There will be no immediate changes to the Infected Blood Support Schemes (IBSS). Under the current proposal published on 21 May by the previous Government, payments will continue to be made at the same level until 31 March 2025 and they will not be deducted from any compensation awards. From 1 April 2025, people who receive IBSS payments will continue to receive payments until such time that their case is assessed under the new Scheme by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority. Once assessed under the Scheme, the applicant will be able to choose how to receive their compensation, either as a lump sum or periodic payments. I gave a statement to the House on Friday 26th July to update on the progress made on responding to the Infected Blood Inquiry and committed to providing regular updates on this work going forward.
Asked by: Clive Lewis (Labour - Norwich South)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many registrations have been made with the Infected Blood Interim Compensation Payment Scheme since 21 May 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
In June 2024 the Government paid £728.91m in interim compensation payments to 3,659 people who were infected and registered with the Infected Blood Support Schemes (IBSS).
As of 30 June 2024, 4,606 people who were infected, or their bereaved partners registered with the IBSS have received interim compensation payments totaling over £1 billion.