Correspondence relating to Infected Blood Compensation: FOI release
Information request and response under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
Information requested
Please provide copies of all e-mail correspondence (including any attachments) relating to Infected Blood Compensation sent to or by staff working in Blood Donation and Abortion Policy during the period 1st Jan 2024 - 19th Feb 2024. For the avoidance of doubt, the scope of this request does not include information about individual patient cases.
Response
I enclose a copy of some of the information you have requested in Annex B of this letter.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under the following sections of FOISA applies to that information:
- 28(1) (Relations with the United Kingdom),
- 29(1)(a) (Formulation or development of Scottish Government policy)
- 30(b)(i) and (ii) (Free and frank provision of advice and exchange of views),
- 36(1) (Confidentiality in legal proceedings)
- s38(1)(b) (Personal data relating to third party)
The reasons why those exemptions apply are explained in Annex A to this letter.
In addition, some of the information you have requested is available online – please see the links below. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the websites listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.
- To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will convene a meeting with his counterparts in the devolved administrations to (a) discuss and (b) implement an infected blood compensation scheme.
- To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to seek legislative consent for infected blood (a) compensation and (b) interim payments from the devolved administrations.
- To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on infected blood compensation payments.
- To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Scottish and Welsh governments on infected blood (a) compensation and (b) interim payments.
- To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his planned timetable is for interim compensation payments under the Infected Blood Payment Scheme; and if he will take steps to ensure that those payments will begin within the 2023-24 financial year.
- To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will bring forward amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill to ensure parity of treatment for infected blood victims across the UK.
- To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to support parity of treatment for infected blood victims across the UK via the infected blood support schemes.
- To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make it his policy to provide (a) compensation and (b) interim payments to those who contracted Hepatitis B through infected blood.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Contact
Please quote the FOI reference
Central Enquiry Unit
Email: ceu@gov.scot
Phone: 0300 244 4000
The Scottish Government
St Andrews House
Regent Road
Edinburgh
EH1 3DG
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