Provision and transition of services between the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme and the Infected Blood Compensation Authority: FOI release

Information requested

Regarding the provision and transition of services between the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme (SIBSS) and the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), specifically, I seek the following information:

1. When did these discussions take place?

2. Can you provide copies of all agendas, discussion topics, minutes of meetings?

3. Can you provide copies of all actionable decisions and or plans for phasing and the transition of services between IBCA and SIBSS?

4. Specifically can the Scottish Government provide details of all discussions on the transfer of bereavement support grants, and counselling grants?

5. Can you provide data on which government (UK or Scottish Gov) funds counselling services and bereavement support provided in the SIBSS scheme?

Response

Since the UK Government (UKG) announced the setting up of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) in May 2024, the Scottish Government has had regular discussions with the UKG and the IBCA about the cessation and transfer of services from SIBSS.

The IBCA is working to make final compensation payments to all infected and affected victims of the infected blood scandal; it does not directly seek to replicate the services that have been provided by any or all of the current UK infected blood support schemes to date. Rather, the UK infected blood compensation scheme – which is based on the recommendations and principles put forward by the Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI) and the IBI Response Expert Group, and informed by feedback from representatives of the infected and affected blood community – aims to provide a fair and comprehensive final compensation scheme that is quick and simple for eligible applicants to access with, for example, categories of awards including for financial losses suffered by bereaved partners and children. As such, there have been no discussions about the transfer of the bereavement lump sums or the discretionary grants that SIBSS can currently provide (your question 4). I can however assure you that the Scottish Government is committed to the continued funding of both the Scottish Infected Blood and Haemophilia Psychology Services. In addition, I can confirm that the bereavement lump sums and discretionary counselling grants that are currently provided by SIBSS are funded by the Scottish Government (your question 5).

The information you have requested in relation to actionable decisions and plans for phasing and the transition of services (your question 3) is available online – please see the links below. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the websites listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copies.

Updates provided to the Scottish Parliament

Update on the Infected Blood Inquiry | Scottish Parliament Website

UK Government publications and links

Infected Blood Compensation Scheme

Government Update on the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme (HTML) - GOV.UK

Infected Blood Inquiry Additional Report Government Response - GOV.UK

SIBSS newsletters

SIBSS Newsletter - Issue 13

SIBSS Newsletter - Issue 14

SIBSS Newsletter - Issue 15

IBCA Community updates

News and communications - GOV.UK

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide the information you have requested in relation to your questions 1 and 2 because exemptions under the following sections of FOISA apply to that information:

28(1) (Relations with the United Kingdom)

The reason this exemption applies is explained in Annex A to this letter.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202500476616 - Information released - Annex A

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