Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will extend the deadline to apply for £10,000 lump sum payments for the widows and widowers of people who died at least partially as a result of HIV and hepatitis C infection from contaminated blood, beyond 1 March 2017.

The Government has not yet formally announced the opening of applications for this payment as officials are still working with experts and the current scheme administrators on the policy details for this new payment. As soon as the policy is confirmed, the Department will publish it and will give guidance as to who is eligible and the deadline for responses.