Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Statement by Lord Darzi of Denham on 20 May (WS 121–22), how the average annual payment of £6,400 for the Macfarlane Trust's beneficiaries was determined; and whether any meetings between officials at the Department of Health and the trust have demonstrated that the sum may need adjusting.
Answer
A broad indicator of the annual level of benefit currently available through the Macfarlane Trust was calculated by dividing the total number of beneficiaries into the total expenditure of the trusts, the result being an overall average of £6,400. Officials also referred to information from the trust about the amounts payable to individuals. There is no reason to adjust the £6,400 figure as the Government's response to Lord Archer's recommendations makes clear that in future all infected beneficiaries will receive £12,800 per annum.