Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Establishing the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme in Regulations, published on 23 August 2024, what his planned timetable is to publish the second set of regulations to provide for the payment of compensation to affected persons; and whether a target date has been set for when compensation payments will begin.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Subject to Parliamentary approval, the Government is aiming for the second set of Regulations to be in place by 31 March 2025 to support our intention that people who are affected can start receiving payment next year.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when applications for the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme will open to those infected after the cut-off date of 1991.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2024, approved by Parliament in October, do not set out hard cut-off dates for determining whether a person is eligible for compensation based on when their infection was acquired. However, the evidence requirements will be higher where a person was infected after the introduction of screening of blood, blood products and tissue. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority opened the compensation scheme to a small number of people in October to allow the Authority to test the service, with further invitations, as part of this testing approach, to be sent between now and January. The claim service for compensation is being designed and delivered now, starting small and scaling up as quickly as possible, to make payments. Dates for the roll out of the service to larger numbers of people will be determined and communicated by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what reason he has maintained the cut-off dates for the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme does not have hard cut-off dates for determining whether a person is eligible for compensation based on when their infection was acquired. However, the evidence requirements will be higher where a person was infected after the introduction of screening of blood, blood products and tissue. The dates for the introduction of screening are November 1985 for HIV infection, September 1991 for Hepatitis C infection and December 1972 for Hepatitis B infection. Those whose infection fell outside of these date ranges would still be eligible as long as they can satisfy the Infected Blood Compensation Authority that the infected blood treatment caused the person to become infected with that infection. It is intended that the Authority’s approach to applications will be to be as proactive and sympathetic as possible, and consistent with appropriate and proportionate safeguarding of the integrity of the scheme.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled Infected Blood Compensation Scheme overview: Living infected persons, published on 23 August 2024, when he plans to publish further evidence requirements for people infected with Hepatitis C after 1991.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme, there are two ways for a directly infected individual to show eligibility, depending on the date of infection. For those infected during the specified date ranges, they only need to show that they received infected blood treatment during the date ranges and were subsequently diagnosed with a relevant infection. Those whose infection fell outside of the specified date ranges (which includes those who were infected with Hepatitis C after 1991) must also satisfy the Infected Blood Compensation Authority that the infected blood treatment caused the person to become infected with that infection. This is the higher evidence requirement referred to in the summary document published in August 2024, as set out in Regulation 7 of The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2024. It is intended that the Authority’s approach to applications will be to be as proactive and sympathetic as possible, and consistent with appropriate and proportionate safeguarding of the integrity of the scheme.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure that information on the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Summary gov.uk webpage remains (a) readily available, (b) accessible to the public and (c) up to date.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government is committed to ensuring there is regular communication with the public on infected blood. We will ensure that the gov.uk pages are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure the information remains up to date and correct. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) also sends out a regular newsletter to those interested in the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme and also has a helpline available for the community to contact.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether Infected Blood compensation payments to affected (a) siblings, (b) children and (c) parents of deceased infected people will be given the same priority as those to living infected people.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Following feedback from the infected blood community, the previous administration committed to prioritising making payments to people living with infections as a result of contaminated blood or blood products first. This Government has upheld this commitment and we expect the Infected Blood Compensation Authority to begin making payments to people who are infected under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme by the end of this year. Payments to the affected are expected to begin in 2025, following a second set of regulations.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that affected (a) siblings, (b) children and (c) parents of deceased infected people receive the same Infected Blood compensation payments as affected partners of deceased people.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The compensation amounts available to people who are infected and affected differ depending on their circumstances. As recommended by the Inquiry, the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme has been designed as a tariff-based framework. The proposed tariffs have been developed on the advice of the Infected Blood Inquiry Response Expert Group, which included clinical and legal advisors assisted by social care specialists. The tariff for infected people will be based on the severity of their infection or infections. The proposed tariffs for affected people will similarly be based on the severity banding in relation to their loved one who was infected. The tariff-based approach means that the Scheme will award compensation that reflects personal circumstances while making payments quickly.
Asked by: Ian Sollom (Liberal Democrat - St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that Infected Blood compensation payments to the estates of deceased infected people are the same as those for living infected people.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The compensation amounts available to people who are infected and affected differ depending on their circumstances. As recommended by the Inquiry, the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme has been designed as a tariff-based framework. The proposed tariffs have been developed on the advice of the Infected Blood Inquiry Response Expert Group, which included clinical and legal advisors assisted by social care specialists. The tariff for infected people will be based on the severity of their infection or infections. The proposed tariffs for affected people will similarly be based on the severity banding in relation to their loved one who was infected. The tariff-based approach means that the Scheme will award compensation that reflects personal circumstances while making payments quickly.