The position of Cabinet Secretary for Health, Welling, and Sport is vital for people with bleeding disorders in Scotland. We’ve been fortunate that in recent years we’ve had a succession of people in that position who have taken a particular interest in bleeding disorders and the contaminated blood disaster including Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Alex Neil MSP, and most recently Shona Robison MSP.
Just before the Scottish Parliament election the Scottish Government announced that they would be implementing the recommendations of the Financial Support Review Group and increasing payments to those affected by the contaminated blood disaster. We don’t yet know if Shona Robison will continue as Cabinet Secretary. However, whoever is in that job we are expecting an early announcement about how and when the new payments will be made and if they will be backdated to the beginning of the financial year. We are also keen to begin the review of eligibility criteria and to establish a mechanism for exchanging on-going payments for a lump sum as a matter of urgency.
A new Scottish Government has to be formed within 28 days of the 5 May election (2 June). The First Minister will take office after being nominated by the Scottish Parliament and appointed by the Queen. Scottish Ministers, including for Health, Wellbeing, and Sport can then be named.
I pray and hope it is Shona Robison so we will not have to start all over again with a new representative for this case. Come on Nicola…….we want Shona!!
Will the new payments be index linked, in England the government seek to reduce obligation by removing the link thus allowing system to wither on vine. Direct answer required
The Scottish figure has been set at the Scottish Median Full-Time Wage. Logically, this is the rate the payments should be linked to, rather than inflation. We are expecting a statement from the Scottish Government soon about how the payments will be made and how the Scottish system will be set up. We won’t have more details until then so can’t give a definitive answer yet.
In our submission to the English consultation we opposed the removal of the index link.