Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Statement by Lord Darzi of Denham on 20 May (WS 122), why they did not respond nor refer to the Archer report's recommendation (at page 109) calling for action to end the anomaly of basing entitlement to financial help of the widow of a fatally-infected haemophilia patient on the date of his death; and whether they will now respond to the recommendation.
Answer
The purpose of the Written Ministerial Statement on 20 May 2009 (WS 122) was to inform the House of the publication of the Government's response to the Archer report. The Government's response contains a commitment to review the Skipton Fund in 2014. The Macfarlane and Eileen Trusts have always been able to make payments on a case by case basis to dependents of those entitled to financial relief, and that will remain the case.