Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2014 to Question 216805, whether he plans to make representations to the German government over compensation for British survivors of Thalidomide.

The British Embassy in Berlin is providing assistance to the Thalidomide Trust in obtaining a meeting with the appropriate German authorities so that the Trust can make their representations. We understand the Trust is currently in correspondence with the German Government with a view to arranging such a meeting. The Foreign Office are monitoring the situation and stand ready to assist if needed.

I met with the Minister for Europe, David Lidington, on 17 December 2014. It was agreed that once the Trust has met with the German Government, we would consider again whether further representations to the German Government are needed.