← Back to House of Commons Debates
Infected Blood Compensation Scheme
14 April 2026
Lead MP
Nick Thomas-Symonds
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
NHSMental Health
Other Contributors: 13
At a Glance
Nick Thomas-Symonds raised concerns about infected blood compensation scheme in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
The Minister updated the House on the Government’s [12D [K Government’s response to recommendations from the infected blood inquiry's [K additional report. As of 7 April, 3,273 people have received offers and ove [3D [K over £2 billion has been paid out through the Infected Blood Compensation A [1D [K Authority (IBCA). The Minister announced changes to the compensation scheme [6D [K scheme based on a public consultation, including increasing core and supple [6D [K supplementary compensation awards for infected and affected individuals. Th [2D [K These changes include backdating certain awards to 2017 when the special ca [2D [K category mechanism was first introduced, providing additional compensation [K for mental health issues, adjusting severity bandings for interferon treatm [6D [K treatment, removing deductions for past care compensation, considering form [4D [K forms of evidence beyond earnings records, and increasing core injury award [5D [K awards for bereaved parents and siblings affected under age 18. The Ministe [7D [K Minister also announced a new unethical research award and increased existi [6D [K existing ones, along with an enhanced autonomy award for those infected bef [3D [K before age 18. A mechanism is being launched to allow victims to raise conc [4D [K concerns about the scheme's design and delivery.
Mike Wood
Con
Dudley South
Question
Will the Minister reassure the House that delays in impl [4D [K implementing these changes will not cause further distress for victims? Whe [3D [K When can recipients expect new level 2B severity awards and backdated SCM p [1D [K payments? Will increased core injury awards apply to parents of children in [2D [K infected before turning 18 but died post-18? How does the 'clear potential' [10D [K potential' definition avoid lengthy assessments?
Minister reply
The Minister assured that further delays will be [K avoided. Specific deadlines for new level 2B severity awards and backdated [K SCM payments are forthcoming in July's feedback summaries. Increased core i [1D [K injury awards apply to all bereaved parents regardless of their child’s age [3D [K age at death. The 'clear potential' definition aims to minimize bureaucrati [11D [K bureaucratic hurdles, avoiding lengthy assessments.
Mike Wood
Con
Dudley South
Question
Will the removal of 25% deduction for past care compensa [8D [K compensation be automatically applied to existing offers or require reappli [7D [K reapplication?
Minister reply
The Minister clarified that those who have alread [6D [K already received offers need not reapply; adjustments will be made automati [8D [K automatically based on whichever calculation is more financially beneficial [10D [K beneficial.
Mike Wood
Con
Dudley South
Question
The shadow Minister acknowledged progress but expressed [K concerns over delays in legislative implementation, the need for clear time [4D [K timelines regarding new awards and payments, and sought clarification on ad [2D [K adjustments to existing offers based on new provisions. He also questioned [K the closure of the public inquiry and its impact on policy certainty.
Minister reply
The Minister responded by emphasising that legisl [6D [K legislation will be brought forward as soon as possible with a collaborativ [12D [K collaborative spirit from all parties. He clarified that the £60,000 lump s [1D [K sum is not an individualised assessment but rather looks at loss of chance [K for higher earnings due to infection. The Minister promised a written respo [5D [K response addressing more detailed questions.
Question
The MP questioned whether today’s announcement properly [K recognises the disproportionate harm caused to people co-infected with HIV [K and hepatitis C, who make up around 14% of those receiving special category [8D [K category support.
Minister reply
The Minister acknowledged that the compensation s [1D [K scheme seeks to recognise all harms but emphasised that it is a tariff-base [11D [K tariff-based scheme designed for broad justice rather than individualised s [1D [K searches for evidence.
Question
The MP thanked the Minister and welcomed recognition of [K individual experiences. She raised concerns about transparency, communicati [11D [K communication with victims, and the need to enshrine a statutory duty of ca [2D [K candour as recommended by Sir Brian Langstaff.
Minister reply
The Minister explained that the feedback mechanis [8D [K mechanism aims to sift queries effectively, noting existing user consultant [10D [K consultants providing victim voices and advocating for ongoing transparency [12D [K transparency. He confirmed commitment to delivering the Hillsborough law.
Clive Efford
Lab
Eltham
Question
I join my right hon. Friend in paying tribute to Sir Bri [3D [K Brian Langstaff and the people who gave evidence to his inquiry, which made [4D [K made his report powerful. I thank my right hon. Friend for engaging with th [2D [K this process in a short time. The devil is in the detail of the statement b [1D [K but I welcome news that requirements for evidence will be reduced where it [K has been produced before. Does he agree that creating a new mechanism to li [2D [K listen continuously as the process goes on will help avoid disagreements we [2D [K we have had in the past?
Minister reply
I thank my hon. Friend and pay tribute to his wor [3D [K work with the all-party parliamentary group on haemophilia and contaminated [12D [K contaminated blood. He is absolutely right about the new feedback mechanism [9D [K mechanism which is important not only that victims feel their voice can be [K heard but that they have a specific process whereby concerns are raised and [3D [K and elevated to the appropriate person.
Question
I pay tribute again to my constituent Clive Smith, who i [1D [K is president of the Haemophilia Society. I am pleased to hear the Minister [K mention Treloar’s school in Hampshire where at least 72 children died after [5D [K after being given a drug contaminated with HIV and viral hepatitis. Can the [3D [K the Minister update the House on progress pursuing criminal charges against [7D [K against those involved in experimenting on children?
Minister reply
I join the hon. Gentleman in paying tribute to Cl [2D [K Clive Smith for his excellent work on memorialisation. The heinous activiti [8D [K activities that happened at Treloar’s school, where vulnerable children wer [3D [K were subjected to chilling medical experimentation, will be pursued as quic [4D [K quickly as possible while ensuring we learn lessons to prevent this from ha [2D [K happening again.
Ben Lake
PC
Ceredigion
Question
I thank the Minister for his work and commitment. Can I [K ask him for clarification on the level 2B severity category and the increas [7D [K increase for those who were infected when they were younger than 18? Will t [1D [K these new mechanisms be adjusted automatically for existing claims, or will [4D [K will claimants need to apply?
Minister reply
I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s remarks an [2D [K and support. Where there is an impact on existing claims, the intention is [K to make it as easy as possible without repeatedly asking people to produce [K different pieces of evidence.
Question
I welcome the Minister’s statement and his commitment to [2D [K to updating the House regularly. However, my constituent was infected with [K hepatitis C in 1993 and is still yet to receive support because of the sche [4D [K scheme’s original cut-off date. Can he reassure my constituent that there w [1D [K will be renewed urgency on this particular cohort?
Minister reply
First IBCA has published a prioritisation list wh [2D [K which they are moving through based on their rationale. Given that this sca [3D [K scandal happened over decades, there is obviously an urgency to get payment [7D [K payments to people as quickly as possible.
Question
My constituent met me last year and spoke about her late [4D [K late brother who tragically died in 1988 after being infected with contamin [8D [K contaminated blood. Her family applied to the compensation scheme in June 2 [1D [K 2024, yet they feel that they are treated as a lower priority because he is [2D [K is no longer alive. Can the Minister explain why bereaved families like her [3D [K hers are effectively asked to wait longer? Will he meet me to discuss this [K particular case and how delays can be alleviated?
Minister reply
First, the intention is certainly not to produce [K any form of two-tier scheme; it is to compensate everybody for harm they ha [2D [K have suffered. If the hon. Gentleman would write to me with individual circ [4D [K circumstances, I can look specifically at what has happened in that case.
Question
I thank the Minister for his update and join others in t [1D [K thanking him. My constituent was one of 30,000 people affected by this scan [4D [K scandal. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority should have been life-ch [7D [K life-changing but my constituent felt they had to accept an offer that was [K not good enough due to duress. Will the Minister meet me and my constituent [11D [K constituent to discuss this case?
Minister reply
One of the reasons I signed off funding for both [K financial advice and legal advice is precisely to ensure people could acces [5D [K access it when receiving offers of compensation, but if the hon. Gentleman [K would write to me with circumstances, I can certainly look into it.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
Question
The Minister’s diligence and energy is much valued by my [2D [K my constituents and all Members present. Can he confirm that people will be [2D [K be able to make claims under the mental health support section, as loss of [K a parent can be devastating in the long term?
Minister reply
I am grateful for the hon. Member's generous comm [4D [K comments. On that particular issue, I would be grateful if he wrote to me w [1D [K with specific details so we could see whether the claim is eligible.
Shadow Comment
Mike Wood
Shadow Comment
The shadow welcomed progress in compensation payments [8D [K payments but raised questions regarding delays, legislative timetable, quar [4D [K quarterly feedback summaries, core injury awards justification, clarity on [K 'clear potential', application of 25% deduction removal to existing offers, [7D [K offers, and the status of the public inquiry. The shadow commended specific [8D [K specific increases to unethical research awards and highlighted concerns ov [2D [K over bureaucratic hurdles that could delay further compensation.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.