Oral Answers to Questions

Diana Johnson Excerpts

Thursday 23rd November 2023 Commons Chamber

[Alex Burghart]

My right hon. Friend makes an excellent point. We are still coming to terms with the potential of artificial intelligence to speed up Government processes, improve productivity and deliver value for money for the taxpayer. While we have procurement frameworks at present that help Departments across Government identify good AI systems they might wish to secure, we are also interested in developing our own AI within Government. My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister announced earlier this week that we would hire more people with the highest levels of innovative skill to come into Government to build those systems for us and deliver value for money.

[Dame Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)]

3. What progress he has made on implementing the final recommendations on compensation in the second interim report of the infected blood inquiry, published on 5 April 2023.

[Barbara Keeley (Worsley and Eccles South) (Lab)]

9. What progress his Department has made on implementing the interim recommendations of the infected blood inquiry.

[The Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General (John Glen)]

I strongly commend the right hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Dame Diana Johnson) for her work for those who have been impacted by the infected blood scandal, and I look forward to working across the House on this important issue. The Government have accepted the moral case for compensation but it is only reasonable that the response is fully informed by Sir Brian Langstaff’s final report, which is anticipated in March next year.

[Dame Diana Johnson]

Eight months ago, recommendation 12 of the final report on compensation called for interim payments of £100,000 to be

“paid to recognise the deaths of people to date unrecognised and alleviate immediate suffering.”

The “Cambridge Dictionary” describes the word “interim” as something

“temporary and intended to be used or accepted until something permanent exists”.

I know the Minister is a good man and will want to do his best, so can he tell the House when those interim payments will start to be paid?

[Mr Speaker]

May I welcome the Minister to his new Front-Bench role?

--- Later in debate ---

[John Glen]

No, I cannot guarantee that, because I do not yet have collective agreement, but I am working towards that ambition and that is what I want to achieve.

[Dame Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)]

Why have Scotland and Wales been able to set up psychological support services for the victims of the contaminated blood scandal, but England has not?

[John Glen]

It is because I have not yet secured collective agreement to do so. The funds are available, and it is absolutely right that we bring that forward as soon as possible. Again, that is one of the activities that I will be engaged in resolving later this morning.