Hughes Report: Letter to UK Government

To: Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson DBE, Minister of State for Public Health and Patient Safety

From: Maree Todd, Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs, Mabon ap Gwynfor, Welsh Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, and Robbie Butler, Northern Irish Minister of Health.

Dear Dame Johnson,

HUGHES REPORT

Firstly, may we offer our congratulations on your appointment as Minister of State for Public Health and Patient Safety.

We are writing on behalf of the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Department of Health about the Hughes Report. The Report was published in February 2024 and, to date, the UK Government has not published a response. Health Ministers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have raised the absence of a response with each of your predecessors in office since July 2024 and have consistently emphasised the importance of providing certainty and reassurance to those affected.

As you will appreciate, the continued absence of a formal response is causing significant anxiety and distress for affected individuals and families across all parts of the United Kingdom. Those impacted by the issues considered in the Hughes Report have already waited many years for recognition and resolution, and the lack of clarity regarding the UK Government's intentions is adding to that uncertainty.

We were concerned to hear during the adjournment debate on 29 October that a decision has yet to be taken about financial redress and that no timescale could be provided for reaching a decision. We were, however, encouraged to hear your commitment during the debate to work closely with the devolved governments, recognising that the issues raised by the Hughes Report affect people across the UK.

Officials from our respective administrations already meet regularly to discuss matters arising from the report, and we welcome the constructive engagement that has taken place to date. Our officials will continue to participate fully in these discussions and to work collaboratively with UK Government counterparts. They stand ready to consider any proposals from the UK Government.

Given the length of time since the publication of the report, we believe it is now imperative that the UK Government provides clarity on its intentions. We therefore ask that you set out, at the earliest opportunity, the UK Government's proposed approach to responding in full to the Hughes Report.

Those affected have waited far too long for certainty and deserve a clear understanding of the next steps. We would welcome your urgent attention to this matter and look forward to an early response.

Yours sincerely,