What recent steps he has taken to ensure that people infected and affected by contaminated blood are compensated.

I thank the Minister and I welcome what he has just said, but the infected blood scandal left thousands of people with severe lifelong injuries. Many of them have waited decades—some nearly half a century—for justice, and with every week that passes the likelihood that any of them will die goes up. As I am sure he is aware, IBCA announced last week that it will contact 100 people a week to begin claims, but that is not quick enough for the 18,000 people involved. It has dealt with roughly 3,000, who have been paid already, but 15,000 of the 18,000 are still waiting. Victims and families deserve compensation, and quickly, so what can he do to speed up that process?

I thank the Paymaster General for his personal wo [2D [K work in this area. The increase in the unethical research award is a materi [6D [K material improvement, and I am particularly thinking of the former pupils a [1D [K at Treloar's. However, there is still some uncertainty in the community abo [3D [K about the evidence that will be required to qualify for the severe psycholo [8D [K psychological harm element under the special category mechanism. Could he c [1D [K confirm how that will work, and will IBCA have discretion and flexibility a [1D [K about what evidence will be required?

First, I pay tribute to my right hon. Friend for [K the way he has handled this issue and for the way he has moved it on in the [3D [K the short time he has been in office. Everyone is very grateful for that. N [1D [K None the less, he knows that there are still widespread concerns among the [K community about the compensation process. Will he guarantee that those peop [4D [K people will continue to be listened to and that their voices will not be di [2D [K dismissed, so we can adapt the process as it goes forward to address some o [1D [K of their concerns? I am grateful to him for coming to the all-party parliam [7D [K parliamentary group on haemophilia and contaminated blood to discuss this d [1D [K directly with the community. I would be grateful if he would do so again be [2D [K before the summer recess, so that people can talk to him directly about the [3D [K their concerns.

I thank my right hon. Friend for the sterling wor [3D [K work he has done on this scandal. As mentioned by those on the Opposition B [1D [K Benches, there are still real issues that need to be worked on. The infecte [7D [K infected blood community have huge concerns about the stringent evidence re [2D [K required for severe psychological harm compensation. Will my right hon. Fri [3D [K Friend ensure that IBCA is permissive, flexible and compassionate when sett [4D [K setting the special category mechanism criteria for psychological harm and, [4D [K and, at the same time, when assessing the claims?