This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Hepatitis C payments
29/08/2003
The UK government has agreed that the Executive has the
necessary powers under the Scotland Act to establish
a payment scheme for people in Scotland infected with
Hepatitis C from NHS blood products.
The confirmation came in a letter to Health Minister
Malcolm Chisholm. And in a parallel announcement today the
Department of Health has decided to provide similar
financial assistance to people in England.
Mr Chisholm said:
"I am very pleased that the devolved issue has been
clarified and we can now get on with the detailed business
of establishing the scheme.
"I am now hopeful that the benefits issue with the
Department of Work and Pensions will be resolved to a
satisfactory conclusion and the people affected will be
able to receive the financial assistance we have proposed
in the near future."
The Health Minister informed the Health and Community
Care Committee on January 29 that he was prepared to
establish an ex gratia payment scheme.
The scheme would award lump sum payments of £20,000 to
all those who now have HCV (as a result of receiving blood,
blood products or tissue from the NHS in Scotland) with a
further £25,000 when people reach a more advanced stage of
illness.