Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 22 January 2016 to Question 22461, on blood: contamination, how many cases of liability have been established for people with haemophilia infected with HIV and/or hepatitis C through NHS-supplied contaminated blood or blood products.
Answered by Jane Ellison
These infections are a tragedy for those affected but they occurred before blood donor screening tests or methods of viral inactivation were available in the United Kingdom. In 1991, a case brought by haemophilia patients infected with HIV was settled out of court with no liability established. In 2001 the National Blood Authority was found liable under the Consumer Protection Act for infection with hepatitis C in relation to whole blood caused to 117 patients infected between 1988 and 1991. It is not known if any of these plaintiffs were haemophilia patients. Since 1988, ex-gratia financial support schemes have been set up for people who have been affected by HIV and/or hepatitis C through treatment with National Health Service-supplied blood or blood products. To date over £390 million has been paid out to those affected through five different organisations funded by the health departments.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Quality of 20 July 2015, Official Report, column 1227, for what reasons dependent children are not included in the consultation seeking views on proposed reforms to the schemes supporting those infected with, or affected by, HIV and/or hepatitis C through NHS-supplied blood products.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Those already infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV through National Health Service-supplied blood or blood products and all bereaved partners/spouses of those infected are entitled to apply for discretionary means-tested payments of support, which could be used for dependent children. The charitable bodies make payments on the basis of need, in accordance with their specific objectives, enabling such support to be targeted to those in greater financial need. The consultation seeks views on providing discretionary payments for travel and accommodation costs relating to ill health. These payments are not guaranteed from year to year and those in receipt of these payments are informed of this. Responses to the consultation will help us to decide if this is a viable proposal and we welcome any suggestions respondents may have in relation to the proposals and what would be of benefit to them. No decisions will be made about the shape and structure of a new scheme until after the consultation closes on 15 April 2016.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral statement of 26 March 2015, Official Report, column 1423, on the Penrose Report on contaminated blood, when the Government plans to respond to the findings of that report.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Lord Penrose made one recommendation in the Final Report, to ‘take all reasonable steps to offer a hepatitis C test to anyone who had a blood transfusion before September 1991 who has not been tested for hepatitis C’ through reminding general practitioners, nurses and other clinical staff of this matter, along with the National Health Service guidance to offer a hepatitis C test to those who may be at risk. The Penrose Inquiry was set up by the Scottish Government and so there is no requirement for the Department in England to provide a formal Government response to the final report published on 25 March 2015. We have, however implemented the recommendation in the Penrose Report by issuing reminders as recorded in the Written Ministerial Statement made on 20 July 2015 (Official Record HCWS146) and addressed in the Contaminated Blood Products debate (HC Deb, 9 September 2015, c86WH).
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2015 to Question 19788, in how many cases liability has been established for people infected by contaminated blood.
Answered by Jane Ellison
In 2001 the National Blood Authority was liable for the infection of 117 patients with hepatitis C between March 1988 and September 1991 by whole blood transfusion. The litigation was brought under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1987. The litigants were awarded quantum based damages.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will commission an inquiry into contaminated blood in England and Wales.
Answered by Jane Ellison
Given the thoroughness of Lord Penrose’s report, published in March 2015 and the fact that the report sets the events in Scotland in the wider UK context at that time, our view remains that there is no need for a further public inquiry in England. The report, together with over 5,000 documents from the period 1970-85 that have already been published by the Government, provides a comprehensive picture of events and decisions made. Another Inquiry would not be in the best interests of sufferers and their families as it would be costly and further delay action to address their concerns and significantly delay plans to reform existing payment support schemes.
On 21 January 2016, the Government published a consultation seeking views on proposed reforms to the schemes supporting those infected with, or affected by, HIV and/or hepatitis C through NHS-supplied blood products. I would encourage all those with an interest to respond.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the effect on trends in the number of medicines supplied to the NHS of each of the three options set out in its recent consultation, Changes to the Statutory Scheme to Control the Prices of Branded Health Service Medicines, published on 10 September 2015; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
Five companies have left the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme since January 2014 as follows:
- Derma November 2014;
- Genus (Thornton & Ross) November 2014;
- Vifor May 2015;
- Baxter October 2015; and
- Martindale October 2015
The Department estimates the financial effect to be a loss of around £10 million in 2015/16.
The Department’s consultation on options to amend the statutory scheme to control prices of branded health service medicines closed on 4 December 2015. The consultation was accompanied by an Impact Assessment which can be accessed:
The Department’s analysis in the Impact Assessment concludes that the options would reduce National Health Service spending on drugs without affecting the use of those drugs in the NHS. The consultation sought views, comments and evidence on the potential impacts and operation of the options to revise thestatutory branded prices scheme. The Department is considering the responses received and will respond to the consultation in early 2016.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the financial effect of companies leaving the voluntary pharmaceutical price regulation scheme in the 2015-16 financial year.
Answered by George Freeman
Five companies have left the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme since January 2014 as follows:
- Derma November 2014;
- Genus (Thornton & Ross) November 2014;
- Vifor May 2015;
- Baxter October 2015; and
- Martindale October 2015
The Department estimates the financial effect to be a loss of around £10 million in 2015/16.
The Department’s consultation on options to amend the statutory scheme to control prices of branded health service medicines closed on 4 December 2015. The consultation was accompanied by an Impact Assessment which can be accessed:
The Department’s analysis in the Impact Assessment concludes that the options would reduce National Health Service spending on drugs without affecting the use of those drugs in the NHS. The consultation sought views, comments and evidence on the potential impacts and operation of the options to revise thestatutory branded prices scheme. The Department is considering the responses received and will respond to the consultation in early 2016.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, which companies have left the voluntary pharmaceutical price regulation scheme in each month since January 2014 to date; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by George Freeman
Five companies have left the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme since January 2014 as follows:
- Derma November 2014;
- Genus (Thornton & Ross) November 2014;
- Vifor May 2015;
- Baxter October 2015; and
- Martindale October 2015
The Department estimates the financial effect to be a loss of around £10 million in 2015/16.
The Department’s consultation on options to amend the statutory scheme to control prices of branded health service medicines closed on 4 December 2015. The consultation was accompanied by an Impact Assessment which can be accessed:
The Department’s analysis in the Impact Assessment concludes that the options would reduce National Health Service spending on drugs without affecting the use of those drugs in the NHS. The consultation sought views, comments and evidence on the potential impacts and operation of the options to revise thestatutory branded prices scheme. The Department is considering the responses received and will respond to the consultation in early 2016.