Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what considerations have been given to extending the cut-off date for eligibility for the Unethical Research Award in the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme beyond 1984, given the evidence in the Infected Blood Inquiry (Additional Report on Compensation) that experimentation on both adults and children continued beyond this date.

The Inquiry, in its Additional Report, made a set of recommendations about the Unethical Research awards. The Government has consulted on these recommendations, including on a proposal to expand eligibility for Unethical Research awards to all infected people who received treatment for a bleeding disorder in the UK before 1985. The Government is now carefully considering the range of responses it received on this issue before determining its final position on eligibility.

The consultation closed on 22 January, and the Government will publish its response within 12 weeks of this closing date.