Parliamentary activity

Answering body: Cabinet Office

As recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) has operational independence from the Government. IBCA’s Board takes decisions on the organisation’s progress and performance, and publishes recordings and minutes of its meetings.

Whilst the roll out of the Scheme is an operational decision for IBCA as an independent body, I fully support its commitment to moving forward as swiftly as possible. As the Minister, I will assist in any way I can to speed up the payments.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

HMG has regular engagement with IBCA to discuss progress. However, the delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), which has opened its service to all cohorts including affected people. IBCA is contacting people across all cohorts in line with the prioritisation criteria recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry in its July 2025 Additional Report. These criteria provide that any claims for people that are at the end of life, with advanced liver disease, or from someone aged 75 or over, will be prioritised across all groups.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA). IBCA has now opened its compensation service to all cohorts, including living infected people who have never been compensated, estates of deceased infected people, and affected people. While the Government and IBCA are aware that some people have sadly died before receiving their compensation under the scheme, IBCA are, in line with recommendations made by the Infected Blood Inquiry and feedback from community group sessions, prioritising claims starting with those who are sadly nearing end of life, those with advanced liver disease, and those who are over 75.

With each new cohort, IBCA are starting small, allowing them to learn what additions to the claim service are needed. This will allow them to open their service to more people as the service is built around specific needs. Whilst the roll out of the Scheme is an operational decision for IBCA as an independent body, the Government fully supports their commitment to moving forward as swiftly as possible.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

On 30 October, the Government launched a public consultation on proposed changes to the infected blood compensation scheme. The Government particularly welcomes responses from those in the infected blood community, including estate representatives, and family members who sadly have lost a loved one due to the use of infected blood, or infected blood products.

Some of the proposals set out in the consultation will have an impact on claims made by estate representatives, on behalf of a deceased infected person. The consultation focused on the areas recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry in its Additional Report. It also asked whether a respondent would like to raise other issues around the compensation scheme that may not have been addressed in the Additional Report.

The Government is carefully considering responses to the consultation, which closed on 22 January. The Minister for the Cabinet Office hopes to update Parliament soon on the changes the Government intends to make to the compensation scheme, as a result of the public consultation.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Infected Blood Inquiry recommended that a compensation scheme be set up as soon as possible, and by centrally funding the scheme, the Government has been able quickly allocate the money necessary.

The Government firmly believes that access to redress is fundamental in upholding justice and fairness in our society. People must have avenues to seek recourse when they have been wronged or harmed. We hope the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme provides some closure to those who have been wronged under some of those most devastating circumstances.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The delivery of compensation is a matter for the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA).

IBCA has opened the service to those who are living with infection, registered with a support scheme, and prioritising those who are nearing the end of their lives within this cohort. IBCA is contacting an average of 100 people every week so start their claim. At that rate, they expect to have contacted all those who are living with infection and registered with a support scheme this calendar year.

IBCA is taking a ‘test and learn’ approach to the delivery of compensation. By starting small, they are able to improve the service they deliver, which means that compensation can be paid to everyone faster.

As of 15th July, IBCA has contacted 2, 215 people to start their compensation claim, and 1,934 people have started the claim process. 808 offers of compensation have been made, totalling over £602 million, and so far 587 people have accepted their offers with more than £411 million paid in compensation.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The work undertaken so far to address the issues regarding contaminated blood in the United Kingdom has been related to the hepatitis C and HIV infections.

The Infected Blood Inquiry, in its Expert Report to the Infected Blood Inquiry: Statistics noted in relation to hepatitis B (HBV), that “due to the limitations in the data available, it is not possible to answer the questions set with any reasonable accuracy when compared to other infections we investigated. There was a lack of an integrated approach at the onset of donor screening in 1971/72 to identify donors who were infectious HBV carriers. Furthermore, people infected with HBV have never received financial support, and so funds are not a source of data.”

For these reasons, the Government has not made an assessment of the number of victims from contaminated blood that have been infected with HBV or hepatitis D in the United Kingdom, due to the lack of available data.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The Department has not made an estimate of the number of patients that became infected after the year 1980, although we have estimates for infections occurring in a wider timeframe. The Department used the principle number presented by the Infected Blood Inquiry, in its Statistics Expert Reports, which has identified the infected individuals for the period between 1970 and 1991; the number of those infected because of a bleeding disorder with hepatitis C is between 2,400 and 5,000, and those infected with HIV approximately 1,250. The inquiry further estimates that those infected with hepatitis C via blood transfusion ranges between 21,300 and 38,800, and between 80 and 100 with HIV.

Since November 2017, 3,553 individuals, who were infected because of contaminated blood, are currently registered with one of the United Kingdom Infected Blood Support Schemes. However, there may be others who were infected and are still alive but have not yet come forward.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The Department has not made an estimate of the number of patients that became infected after the year 1980, although we have estimates for infections occurring in a wider timeframe. The Department used the principle number presented by the Infected Blood Inquiry, in its Statistics Expert Reports, which has identified the infected individuals for the period between 1970 and 1991; the number of those infected because of a bleeding disorder with hepatitis C is between 2,400 and 5,000, and those infected with HIV approximately 1,250. The inquiry further estimates that those infected with hepatitis C via blood transfusion ranges between 21,300 and 38,800, and between 80 and 100 with HIV.

Since November 2017, 3,553 individuals, who were infected because of contaminated blood, are currently registered with one of the United Kingdom Infected Blood Support Schemes. However, there may be others who were infected and are still alive but have not yet come forward.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The terms of reference for a public inquiry determine an inquiry’s scope. Since 2015, none of the terms of reference for public inquiries (whether or not led by a judicial chair) have specifically required an inquiry to make recommendations related to compensation. We do not hold data centrally on departmental reviews.

The Infected Blood Inquiry - a judge-led inquiry - specifically recommended the provision of compensation payments. The Inquiry did so in response to Sir Robert Francis’ framework into compensation payments for victims of infected blood which was commissioned by the Cabinet Office. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) - an inquiry with a non-judicial chair - made a recommendation for a redress scheme for victims and survivors of sexual abuse.

We are not aware of any other inquiry since 2015 which made recommendations for compensation.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The terms of reference for a public inquiry determine an inquiry’s scope. Since 2015, none of the terms of reference for public inquiries (whether or not led by a judicial chair) have specifically required an inquiry to make recommendations related to compensation. We do not hold data centrally on departmental reviews.

The Infected Blood Inquiry - a judge-led inquiry - specifically recommended the provision of compensation payments. The Inquiry did so in response to Sir Robert Francis’ framework into compensation payments for victims of infected blood which was commissioned by the Cabinet Office. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) - an inquiry with a non-judicial chair - made a recommendation for a redress scheme for victims and survivors of sexual abuse.

We are not aware of any other inquiry since 2015 which made recommendations for compensation.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The terms of reference for a public inquiry determine an inquiry’s scope. Since 2015, none of the terms of reference for public inquiries (whether or not led by a judicial chair) have specifically required an inquiry to make recommendations related to compensation. We do not hold data centrally on departmental reviews.

The Infected Blood Inquiry - a judge-led inquiry - specifically recommended the provision of compensation payments. The Inquiry did so in response to Sir Robert Francis’ framework into compensation payments for victims of infected blood which was commissioned by the Cabinet Office. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) - an inquiry with a non-judicial chair - made a recommendation for a redress scheme for victims and survivors of sexual abuse.

We are not aware of any other inquiry since 2015 which made recommendations for compensation.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

I recognise that the findings of the inquiry’s final report are deeply shocking, and the Government is committed to acting on the findings of the Infected Blood Inquiry.

The Government is considering Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations, and will provide an update to Parliament on the progress we are making to respond to the inquiry’s recommendations by the end of the year, as the inquiry recommends.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

I recognise that the findings of the inquiry’s final report are deeply shocking, and the Government is committed to acting on the findings of the Infected Blood Inquiry.

The Government is considering Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations, and will provide an update to Parliament on the progress we are making to respond to the inquiry’s recommendations by the end of the year, as the inquiry recommends.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The Government is considering Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations, including recommendation 9 that relates to the use of alternatives to plasma-derived medicines. We will provide an update to Parliament on the progress we are making by the end of the year, as the Inquiry recommends.

In April 2021, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) reviewed the latest scientific evidence available on the safety of donor plasma from the United Kingdom and was able to lift the ban on its use for immunoglobulin-based medicines; the ban had been in place since the mid-1990s due to concerns about over the potential spread of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob (vCJD) disease. This was followed by a review of and lifting of the ban on albumins, also derived from UK donor plasma.

Both immunoglobulin and albumin are critical medicines for the National Health Service, with approximately 17,000 patients in England relying on immunoglobulins each year but these products are in short supply globally. Following the MHRA view that UK plasma is safe, the Department set up the Plasma for Medicines programme to increase our self-sufficiency and to protect vulnerable patients from the risk of global supply shocks. The first UK donor plasma was shipped for manufacture into medicines in August 2024 and these will be available to NHS patients from January 2025.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

I recognise that the findings of the inquiry’s final report are deeply shocking, and the Government is committed to acting on the findings of the Infected Blood Inquiry.

The Government is considering Sir Brian Langstaff’s recommendations, and will provide an update to Parliament on the progress we are making to respond to the inquiry’s recommendations by the end of the year, as the inquiry recommends.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

It is the Government’s intention for the first interim payments of £210,000 to the living infected to be delivered within 90 days, to begin in summer. Full Compensation Scheme payments will be made as quickly as possible and our aim is that payments will start before the end of the year.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Government has committed to update Parliament through an oral statement on next steps within 25 sitting days following 20 May. It is our intention to make this statement as soon as possible. Additionally, we have tabled a Government amendment ahead of Report Stage of the Victims and Prisoners Bill to fix technical deficiencies, whilst working in the spirit of Dame Diana Johnson’s amendment. The amendment has been tabled with the intention of speeding up the implementation of the Government’s response to the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

First, and most importantly, the suffering of the victims must be recognised. The Government understands that no measures can fully compensate for the losses and hardships that they have suffered. The priority here must be to ensure that victims get the justice they deserve. We are actively looking at the recommendations of the Inquiry, including the recommendation for more interim payments. The Government will respond to the recommendations of the final report following its publication on 20 May.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

Each inquiry chair will present their conclusions and recommendations to an inquiry’s sponsor minister. It is the responsibility of the lead department to determine how best to progress and implement the inquiry’s recommendations and the department will publish its response on Gov.uk.

The Cabinet Office takes the lead on the Covid, Grenfell and Infected Blood Inquiries and looks forward to acting on lessons learned.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Government continues to make progress with the work necessary to enable a response to the full report when it is published in March next year. It is only reasonable that the Inquiry, whose work is in train, concludes and provides their final recommendations before the Government takes action. The Government recognises that there is interest in pre-registration for compensation ahead of its response to the Inquiry’s final report. However, as the Minister for the Cabinet Office set out to the Inquiry in July, opening registration for compensation before the Government has finalised its response would be a difficult step to take.

Answering body: Cabinet Office

The Government continues to make progress with the work necessary to enable a response to the full report when it is published in March next year. It is only reasonable that the Inquiry, whose work is in train, concludes and provides their final recommendations before the Government takes action. The Government recognises that there is interest in pre-registration for compensation ahead of its response to the Inquiry’s final report. However, as the Minister for the Cabinet Office set out to the Inquiry in July, opening registration for compensation before the Government has finalised its response would be a difficult step to take.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The Infected Blood Inquiry’s terms of reference include the task to “ascertain, as far as practicable, the likely numbers of people who have been infected (directly or indirectly) in consequence of: a) the use of infected blood; and b) the use of infected blood products”.

To this end, the Inquiry’s Statistical Expert Group has published two reports. The first, published in September 2022, contains estimated numbers of people infected by blood and blood products as well as estimated numbers of those people who subsequently died; however, this excludes those with Hepatitis B and secondary infections. The second supplementary report, published in July 2023, updates the Committee’s estimates of the numbers of people who died because of their infection. Due to its size, a copy of the first report has been placed in the Library. A copy of the second report is attached.

In July, the Inquiry published a note on interim compensation payments made on behalf of the Government by the four national Infected Blood Support Schemes. The note shows the number of people registered and payments made as of July 2023; however, information on the numbers of eligible people is not available. A copy of the note is attached.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

The Infected Blood Inquiry’s terms of reference include the task to “ascertain, as far as practicable, the likely numbers of people who have been infected (directly or indirectly) in consequence of: a) the use of infected blood; and b) the use of infected blood products”.

To this end, the Inquiry’s Statistical Expert Group has published two reports. The first, published in September 2022, contains estimated numbers of people infected by blood and blood products as well as estimated numbers of those people who subsequently died; however, this excludes those with Hepatitis B and secondary infections. The second supplementary report, published in July 2023, updates the Committee’s estimates of the numbers of people who died because of their infection. Due to its size, a copy of the first report has been placed in the Library. A copy of the second report is attached.

In July, the Inquiry published a note on interim compensation payments made on behalf of the Government by the four national Infected Blood Support Schemes. The note shows the number of people registered and payments made as of July 2023; however, information on the numbers of eligible people is not available. A copy of the note is attached.

Answering body: Department of Health and Social Care

A group claim has been brought on behalf of approximately 500 claimants or their dependants, in relation to Factor VIII and Factor IX products. This claim is stayed pending the outcome of the Infected Blood Inquiry.