PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Blood: Contamination (18 April 2016)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions his Department has had with the (a) Wales Office and (b) Welsh Government on ensuring that Welsh victims of contaminated blood are not left worse off than counterparts in other parts of the UK in any compensation arrangements.

Asked by:
Stephen Doughty (Labour)

The proposals for reform and the additional money committed by the Department are for those infected in England. It is a matter for the devolved administrations to decide how support is provided for those infected in their territory, but they could opt to make same reforms as the Department and share administrative arrangements following scheme reform.

Officials from the Department hosted a meeting on 24 March with officials from each of the devolved administrations, including the Welsh Government, to discuss infected blood scheme reform. Departmental officials will continue to collaborate with their counterparts from the Welsh Government on this. Separately, officials also keep the Wales Office informed of progress in this area through official channels such as the Home Affairs Committee.

Answered by:
Jane Ellison (Conservative)
21 April 2016