Question reference: S5W-01037
- Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 23 June 2016
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Current status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 13 July 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its news release of 18 March 2016, Extra £20 million for infected blood support, when the personal payments will start to be received.
Answer
We are currently working with the UK Department of Health and HMRC on beginning the payment of the increased lump sums and annual payments via the existing UK support schemes (the Skipton Fund and MFET) as soon as possible. This requires extensive amendments to the existing agreements between the schemes and the UK Government, along with amendments to income tax orders. We are progressing this work, but it is not yet possible to indicate when we will start making the increased payments. However, our aim is still to ensure that payments can commence this year and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport recently spoke to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health, Jane Ellison MP, to seek assurances from her that the UK Department of Health will prioritise this.
We are also working on delivery of the new Scottish scheme, which will be up and running in 2017.