Written questions by Robinson.

What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) capacity of and (b) progress within the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

As of 9 April, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) has paid over £2 billion in compensation. As of 1 October 2025, IBCA had asked every living infected person who is registered with a support scheme to come forward and start their claim. IBCA has now opened the service for the first claims from infected people who were never compensated, deceased infected people, and living affected people. This met the Government’s targets for compensation delivery in 2025. With each new cohort, IBCA are starting small, allowing them to learn what additions to the claim service are needed. This will allow them to open their service to more people as the service is built around specific needs. Whilst the roll out of the scheme is an operational decision for IBCA as an independent body, the Government fully supports its commitment to moving forward as swiftly as possible.

What information his Department holds on the number of claimants to the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme who have less than 12 months to live; and whether they are being prioritised.

IBCA are prioritising claims for those who are sadly nearing the end of their lives, followed by older age groups, as recommended by the Infected Blood Inquiry.Based on community feedback, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) is prioritising claims for people who have been told by a medical professional that they may have 12 months or less to live. This is regardless of whether they are infected, affected, a beneficiary of an estate of a deceased infected person, or registered with an Infected Blood Support Scheme. IBCA collects information regarding this via their registration service, allowing them to prioritise claims appropriately.The delivery of compensation is a matter for the IBCA as an operationally independent body. IBCA publishes regular updates on its website of the progress made in delivering compensation, including how many individuals have received compensation payments across all groups. The latest update can be found here: https://ibca.org.uk/statistics/registration-and-compensation-progress-update-9-April-2026.

What his expected timeline is for concluding all claims to the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme, including those with registered intent.

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) Framework Document, published in March 2025, sets out the timelines agreed between IBCA and Cabinet Office; namely for the bulk of infected people to be paid no later than the end of 2027 and the bulk of affected people to be paid no later than the end of 2029.I have been absolutely clear that these dates should not be viewed as targets for delivery, but rather ‘backstops’. These timescales have been agreed with IBCA, to ensure that the door is kept open for those who have not yet identified themselves as being infected or affected.The Government fully supports IBCA in its commitment to move forward as swiftly as possible, and it is a positive step that all registered infected people have now been contacted to begin their claim, and that IBCA has started the first claims from all eligible groups.