Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that people affected by the infected blood scandal receive compensation.

The Government accepts there is a moral case for compensation. Interim payments were made last year to recognise the urgent need of infected people and bereaved partners enrolled on the existing support schemes.

We are now considering Sir Brian Langstaff’s second interim report. As my Right Hon. Friend, Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Jeremy Quin) said on 19 April, we are very focused on responding as soon as possible after the Inquiry concludes this autumn.

This does not preclude earlier announcements as we progress our work.