Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to page 22 of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s second Interim Report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on 5 April 2023, what steps his Department plans to take to help ensure (a) the independence of and (b) confidence in the arms length body.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The victims of the scandal are at the forefront of my mind, and it is critical to ensure that any scheme works effectively for the victims. The Government will respond in full to Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations following the publication of the Inquiry’s final report. Additionally, we are tabling a Government amendment at Report Stage of the Victims and Prisoners Bill in the Other Place to fix technical deficiencies, while working in the spirit of Dame Diana Johnson’s amendment. The amendment is tabled with the intention of speeding up the implementation of the Government’s response to the Infected Blood Inquiry.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he is taking steps to ensure there are no delays to implementation of the final Infected Blood inquiry compensation report.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Ministerial colleagues and I, as well as officials in the Cabinet Office and relevant other Government Departments, are working closely to ensure effective design and implementation of the Government response to Inquiry, with regular meetings and engagement across Whitehall.
The Government is committed to responding to the recommendations made by Sir Brian Langstaff in full, after the publication of the final report. The Government has appointed an expert group to provide advice on recommendations regarding compensation, and we are bringing forward amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill at Report Stage in the Other Place to speed up the Government response to the Inquiry.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he is taking steps to prevent the fraudulent copying of Government web pages to charge users for services.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Any misuse of GOV.UK’s brand elements (such as the logo, crown, and Government Digital Service (GDS) Transport typeface) is illegal, and these elements are protected by crown-copyright.
Digital, cyber security and brand protection teams across government work closely with the National Cyber Security Centre to detect and respond to fraudulent sites posing as government, and in doing so to protect the UK public from scams.
A range of monitoring tools and intelligence sources are used to identify these scams, and members of the public are encouraged to report these (e.g., directly to NCSC, or to the relevant government department). Government continues to improve these capabilities, as it will always remain challenging to reliably and rapidly detect all fraudulent sites.
Once detected, multiple techniques can be used to remove these sites from the Internet or otherwise reduce their impact on the public. This includes, but is not limited to, coordinating with industry partners to take down the web domain or remove the underlying systems hosting the site from the Internet, taking direct legal action, or escalating to law enforcement.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Infected Blood Inquiry’s Second Interim Report, published on 5 April 2023, if he will make it his policy to ensure prompt payment of compensation in line with Sir Brian Langstaff's interim recommendations.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the honourable Member to the statement made on Wednesday 19 April 2023, in response to the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s Second Interim Report.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the UK Integrated Security Fund will have the same objectives for tackling (a) conflict and (b) gender equality as there were through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The UK Integrated Security Fund (UKISF) will expand upon the existing Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), with a wider remit, funding projects both at home and overseas to tackle some of the most complex national security challenges facing the UK and its partners. The new Fund will also bring into scope some key existing programmes, such as the National Cyber Programme.
Importantly this change from the CSSF is designed to ensure broader long-term integration of cross-government National Security efforts. Combining additional funding from other programming, the UKISF will have a budget of almost £1 billion, helping keep the UK and its people safe.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the Government's Cost of Living Business Tsar's recommendation on independent retailers that food businesses reduce the retail price of food.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The Cost of Living Business Tsar, David Buttress, has and will continue to engage business of all sizes as part of his work to help households cope with the cost of living crisis. He is working closely with business associations to ensure that SMEs - including independent retailers - are able to contribute to this work. The Cost of Living Business Tsar will also work with officials to ensure that deals developed as part of his initiative are ethical and help UK consumers.
Food prices are set by businesses and it is not for the UK Government to set retail food prices or comment on day-today commercial decisions by companies. We continue to monitor food prices using the ONS inflation figures.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the report by Sir Robert Francis entitled Compensation and Redress for the Victims of Infected Blood, Recommendations for a Framework, what impact assessment has been undertaken relating to the time taken in making funds available.
Answered by Michael Ellis
There are a number of complex issues arising from the recommendations in the Compensation Framework Study. These issues are under active consideration across government, including consideration of Sir Robert’s evidence to the independent Inquiry on 11-12 July. I will update the House as this work progresses.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the report by Sir Robert Francis entitled, Compensation and Redress for the Victims of Infected Blood, Recommendations for a Framework, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure timely action on implementing compensation for those infected and affected by contaminated blood products.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the Hon. member to the answer given to PQ 16932 on 20 June.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the report by Sir Robert Francis entitled, Compensation and Redress for the Victims of Infected Blood, Recommendations for a Framework, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of providing additional funding allocations to ensure payments for compensation to those affected by contaminated blood products is not funded from existing health and social care budgets.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the Hon. member to the answer given to PQ 16932 on 20 June.
Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has carried out an impact assessment of extending the delay on EU trade import controls beyond October 2021 on the competitiveness of UK exporters compared with importers; and whether he has plans to publish any such assessment.
Answered by Michael Ellis
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Statement of 14th of September, which sets out the reasons for the change to the timetable for introducing border import controls on goods from the EU.
The Government is working closely with the Devolved Administrations on the delay to the introduction of controls, especially on controls and checks on Sanitary and Phytosanitary goods which are a devolved matter.