Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he plans to take to ensure the impartiality of the choice of independent reviewer who will be appointed to carry out the compensation study for victims of the Infected Blood tragedy.

The timetable for the compensation study will be finalised after the terms of reference have been agreed, but we expect the study to be completed and published before the Inquiry concludes its work.

The independent reviewer will be selected from a shortlist of candidates with the professional standing, skills, and expertise to undertake the study. The shortlist of candidates will be proposed by the Civil Service. The name of the reviewer will be announced shortly.