Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the development of the Northern Irish ex-gratia support scheme for people affected by the contaminated blood scandal.

The design and implementation of the scheme to support those affected by the issues caused by the contaminated blood scandal in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter. It is therefore not appropriate for me to make any assessment or judgment as to the approach taken, though I understand that, in December 2016, the Northern Ireland Health Minister at the time announced increased financial support for people affected by contaminated blood prior to September 1991.

As to the public inquiry announced in July, I and my officials have remained in close contact with Government colleagues to facilitate discussions with the Northern Ireland Civil Service and with key stakeholders on the subject. Most importantly I know that those affected in Northern Ireland were made aware of the process, in particular the extension to the period of consultation to 18 October. More than 800 written responses across the United Kingdom were received and will be analysed thoroughly by the Cabinet Office, to whom responsibility for setting up the independent inquiry has transferred from the Department of Health.

As my Rt Honourable Friend the First Secretary of State made clear in his written statement on 3 November, this process will be taken forward as a full statutory public inquiry, created under the 2005 Inquiries Act, and a further announcement will follow before the end of the year on the next steps.