Meetings in relation to infected blood financial support: FOI release

Information requested

You asked:

1. "Since 17th May 2019, How many meetings have involved the engagement of the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury or the current parliament under-secretary for the department of health in relation to addressing financial parity in the infected blood support schemes?

2. When did these meetings take place?

3. What developments have happened?

4. Is there an agreement for when financial parity will be addressed by Westminster for all devolved schemes?"

Response

The answer to your questions are:

1. There has been one Ministerial meeting, which included a representative from the Cabinet Office.  The Scottish Government has not been involved in any meetings involving HM Treasury or the current parliamentary under-secretary for the Department of Health and Social Care on infected blood financial support and we do not have any information on whether any such meetings have been held.

2. The Ministerial meeting took place on 10 July 2019.

3. On 1 August and 16 October, a number of campaign groups wrote to the Prime Minister seeking increased financial support and greater parity between the four UK schemes. At the meeting on 10 July, Ministers agreed to exploring options for increasing parity while retaining flexibility to ensure each scheme reflects local priorities and stakeholder views.  The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) proposed having a further meeting to make further progress, but there has since then been a change in Ministerial responsibilities at DHSC. As a result, no further Ministerial meeting has yet been scheduled.

4. There is no agreement for ‘when financial parity will be addressed by Westminster for all devolved schemes’.

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