Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department’s policy is on short-term financial support for people affected by the contaminated blood scandal before the conclusion of the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Since 1988, successive Governments have voluntarily provided ex-gratia financial and non-financial support for people affected by HIV and/or hepatitis C through historic treatment with National Health Service-supplied blood or blood products in the 1970s and 1980s.

In 2017, country specific support schemes were set up in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, responsibility for these is devolved to the four nations.

We are working with our partners in the devolved nations and other relevant Government departments to improve parity of support across the United Kingdom.