Will the Minister confirm when the Welsh Government will announce a decision on costings for infected blood payments in Wales, produced by the Wales Infected Blood Support Scheme, and how it will respond to the call by the infected blood inquiry chair for payments to be levelled during the inquiry?
The four nations health departments have agreed to work towards greater parity across the UK schemes, and we continue to press the Treasury on the necessary funding as this is a UK Government responsibility originating in the period before devolution.
The Deputy Minister and I wrote to the then Minister of State for Care last October, reaffirming the funding case, but progress has been held up by the UK General Election, and delay in confirming Ministerial responsibilities.
We have now learnt that the Paymaster General, Penny Mordaunt, is the Minister responsible for the Infected Blood Inquiry, and has had initial discussions on the matter. Ms Mordaunt has agreed to convene a four Health Ministers’ meeting to take this forward.
We will update you when this meeting has taken place.