Asked by: Taiwo Owatemi (Labour - Coventry North West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure infected blood interim compensation payments are made to bereaved parents and children through the England Infected Blood Support Scheme.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
In October 2022, we made interim payments of £100,000 available to those infected and bereaved partners registered with existing support schemes. I recognise the importance the infected blood community places on interim payments relating to those deaths not yet recognised, and the Government is working through the technical implications of recommendation 12.
Asked by: Taiwo Owatemi (Labour - Coventry North West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish a draft amendment on infected blood compensation at Report Stage in the House of Lords for the Victims & Prisoners Bill in advance of that Report Stage.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
During Committee Stage of the Victims and Prisoners Bill, the Government committed to tabling amendments at Report Stage and this remains the Government’s intention. Amendments tabled by the Government will be publicly available in advance of the relevant stage of the Bill, as is standard procedure.
Asked by: Taiwo Owatemi (Labour - Coventry North West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the second interim report of the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on 5 April 2023, what steps he is taking to respond to recommendation (k).
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The Government continues to make progress with the work necessary to enable a response to the full report, when it is published. In July 2022, I provided evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry setting out the current Government thinking and I will update the House as soon as I am able to provide further information.
Asked by: Taiwo Owatemi (Labour - Coventry North West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to recommendation 16 of the Compensation and redress for the victims of infected blood: recommendations for a framework report, published on 7 June 2022. when the Government will establish an arms-length body to administer compensation to people affected by the infected blood scandal.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I made a statement in the House on 15 December, providing an update on the Government’s preparations for the conclusion of the Infected Blood Inquiry, due to report later this year - including our work in response to the Compensation Framework Study.
A cross government working group coordinated by the Cabinet Office is taking forward work informed by the Study’s recommendations, including the establishment of an arm’s length body.
We will continue to update the House on progress on the Government’s response to the Study’s recommendations.
Asked by: Taiwo Owatemi (Labour - Coventry North West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the elderly can access Government services that (a) have been and (b) are due to become digitalised.
Answered by Heather Wheeler
The Government is committed to ensuring that assistance is always available for those who need it. Departments are required by the Service Standard to provide support to users via alternative channels for their services, where it is required, and the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO) assures this via a service assessment process.
CDDO provides guidance for Government teams and departments to consider assisted digital support for users who may lack trust in online services or the internet; confidence to use an online service themselves; access to the internet; digital skills; and, motivation to overcome these barriers on their own (https://www.gov.uk/service-manual/helping-people-to-use-your-service/assisted-digital-support-introduction).
Asked by: Taiwo Owatemi (Labour - Coventry North West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average timescale is for cases submitted to the Parliamentary and Health Services Ombudsman to be assigned to a dedicated caseworker in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what steps he is taking to re-introduce pre-covid-19 outbreak targets for assigning such cases.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is independent of Government and is accountable to Parliament through the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee for its performance. The PHSO will therefore reply separately to this question by letter.
Asked by: Taiwo Owatemi (Labour - Coventry North West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the timetable is for discussions between the Government and victims and families of the contaminated blood scandal on a framework for compensation.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
In January 2020, the then Minister for the Cabinet Office and the Minister for Patient Safety met campaigners representing the people infected and affected, and campaigners raised a number of issues about the support that would assist them outside of the Inquiry process. Ministers have committed to looking at these issues carefully, including to consider a request to look at a framework for compensation before the Inquiry reports, and to report back on where progress can be made. The Paymaster General is the lead Minister for the Inquiry and is taking forward these actions.
Asked by: Taiwo Owatemi (Labour - Coventry North West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to improve veterans’ employment prospects.
Answered by Johnny Mercer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Minister for Veterans' Affairs)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Oral Questions 4 and 21 on 27 February 2020 (Official Record, Vol.672 Col 451).