Statement
I hereby give notice of the Department of Health and Social Care’s intention to seek a Contingencies Fund Advance to make the recently announced interim infected blood payments.
The Minister for the Cabinet Office was absolutely clear in his announcement on 21 May that additional interim payments of £210,000 will be delivered within 90 days, starting in summer, to all UK living infected beneficiaries of the UK Infected Blood Support Schemes (UK IBSS).
The Department of Health and Social Care’s Capital Annually Managed Expenditure ambit does not provide cover for compensation payments already approved by Parliament through legislation. While this will be received through the Main Estimate, this advance will enable interim payments to be made ahead of Parliament formally approving the ambit and the associated expenditure through an Estimate, in line with the government’s commitment.
Parliamentary approval for additional capital of £837,000,000 for this new expenditure will be sought in a Main Estimate for Department of Health and Social Care. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £837,000,000 will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund.
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This statement has also been made in the House of Lords