Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how often he has discussions with the Infected Blood Inquiry on the implementation of compensation recommendations.

I, and my predecessors in this role, have not had formal discussions with members of the Infected Blood Inquiry team, to protect the Inquiry’s independence from Government. The Government has committed to update Parliament through an oral statement on next steps within 25 sitting days following the publication of the Inquiry’s final report on 20 May, and it is our intention to make this statement as soon as possible.