Sir Geoffrey JohnsonSmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health on what number of people with haemophilia and hepatitis C the assumptions are based on which his estimate of the cost of a financial assistance scheme is founded; if his estimate of the costs of such a scheme includes amounts of money for(a) payments for all and (b) a hardship fund; and how much he has assumed would be applied for each; over how many years such expenditure would be spread; what are the estimated costs in the first year; and what figure for first year start up costs he has included in his estimate. [80463]
§ Mr. HuttonThe estimate was based on approximately 3,000 people and the overall expenditure to date on the special payment scheme for those with haemophilia infected with HIV through national Health Service treatment with blood products. The estimates did not include start-up costs or the costs of managing the process.