Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will make it its policy to offer interim compensation payments to the (a) estates, (b) parents and (c) children of people who have died as a result of infected blood products.

I refer the hon Member to the statement I made in the House on 15 December in which I set out the work being carried out across government in consideration of the compensation framework study - which included specific reference to those groups who were not able to claim interim compensation.

Since then, Sir Brian Langstaff, the Chair of the Infected Blood Inquiry, has announced his intention to produce a further interim report about the Compensation framework study by Sir Robert Francis KC. The Government welcomes this news. The cross-government work that is underway is likely to be significantly assisted by Sir Brian’s further interim report in making preparations to act swiftly in response to his final report.