Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to ensure that members of the public who wish to participate in the Independent Inquiry into Contaminated Blood are entitled to, and receive access to, legal representation; and if he will make a statement.

The Chair of the Inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff is determined to put people at the heart of the Inquiry. He has said, “every person who is infected or affected has an account that will add to the Inquiry’s store of knowledge”. The Inquiry has invited people affected by the infected blood tragedy to contact them if they would like to provide evidence. Details of how to do so, and how to apply for core participant status, are available on the Inquiry’s website (www.infectedbloodinquiry.org.uk).

The Ministerial notice of determination to the Chair, published on the Inquiry’s website, sets out that those infected from blood or blood products and their families are provided funding for legal representation by Government, and regardless of means. Details of how to apply for such funding are on the Inquiry’s website (https://3p43ah231u8w1xptng1yprm2-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Statement-of-Approach-Costs-1.pdf).