Current status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 26 June 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on paying compensation to (a) the children of and (b) children who cared for parents who were affected by infected blood products.
The Scottish Government makes ex-gratia financial support payments through the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS). The scheme provides lump sum payments to the estates of those who have died, where the infected person was unable to claim their lump sum payment while they were still alive. Additionally, SIBSS provides regular support payments to those infected, which can be used to support their wider household’s living costs, and also grants to help cover the costs of a carer(s) or to provide respite breaks.
Section 28 of the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 provides the basis for the scheme to provide support payments to an infected person or their ‘dependants’. For these purposes, the legislation confirms that a widow, widower, civil partner or long-term cohabiting partner can be considered as a dependant. The SIBSS also enables dependent children under the age of 21 who are in full-time education to receive support and assistance grants where their infected parent has died.