Infected Blood Compensation Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 2026

Baroness Finn Excerpts

Wednesday 22nd July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Finn (Con)]

My Lords, before I speak to the Motion to approve these regulations and to the regret amendment in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, I want to begin by reflecting on the courage and tenacity of all infected and affected victims of the infected blood scandal. They have shown immense strength in the course of their long campaign, and they deserve justice without delay. There is one point that ought to be made at the outset: the previous Minister for the Cabinet Office rightly placed great store by the delivery of infected blood compensation and repeatedly presented it as a central priority. Victims are now entitled to ask where it leaves them. Not only do they have to live with the uncertainty that inevitably accompanies a change of Government but the latest figures demonstrate that the pace and consistency of compensation payments remain well behind where they should be. After everything these families have endured, they should not be expected to endure yet more uncertainty about when justice will finally arrive.

I thank the Minister and the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, both for their time and for putting the victims at the centre of their remarks. Our shared, cross-party objective of delivering justice for the victims is why we are having this debate, and we will continue to work constructively to maintain that consensus across the main parties. As the noble Baroness, Lady Brinton, notes in her amendment, we should recognise the progress made by the Government and the Infected Blood Compensation Authority since October 2025. The latest publicly available figures show that 3,358 people have received compensation. While that is welcome, there is still widespread concern about the pace of progress. The Hepatitis C Trust has said that compensation must be delivered faster, and that thousands of victims are still waiting even to be invited to claim compensation, let alone be paid what they are due.

There also remains a striking imbalance in who has received compensation to date. Living infected persons who have never received support comprise just 35 people—1% of the claims paid. A concerningly small number of affected people and those acting on behalf of a deceased infected person have received payments following their claims. When does the Minister anticipate a meaningful increase in the figures for those groups of victims?

On costs and compensation, the previous Government allocated £11.8 billion to fund infected blood compensation, but the National Audit Office now estimates the total expected payout to be £12.8 billion. What contingencies are being put in place to ensure that funds are available to pay compensation to all those who are eligible? Pace is not the only concern. A number of important issues remain unresolved, including but not limited to the disparity between compensation for living and deceased infected people and the injury award for unethical medical testing. I hope the Minister will be able to address those and other concerns when she responds to this debate. In doing so, will she set out what work is being done to support affected and infected people with their applications for compensation? We need a scheme that recognises the complexities of individual cases and takes care to give people tailored support.

I very much pay tribute to my noble friend Lady Davies of Devonport, who spoke so movingly of her experiences and her mother’s story. She and other noble Lords rightly highlighted the challenges faced by many families in obtaining the necessary records. This is another example of the need for tailored support for victims. Do the teams at IBCA have the skills to support families where records are difficult to access? What assessment has been made to ensure that IBCA has the necessary skills in place to deliver the best possible support for all victims? They and their families must come first. We will continue to work constructively with the Government to ensure that rapid progress is made.