Haemophiliacs (Hansard, 1 December 1987)

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make it his policy to provide a non-means tested special weekly benefit for people with haemophilia and HIV;
(2) what provision his Department makes for people with haemophilia and HIV who need a special diet to protect their immune systems;
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(3) what assessment Her Majesty's Government have made of the extent to which people with haemophilia and HIV need extra heating;
(4) if he will list the latest measures taken to take care of people with haemophilia and HIV;
(5) what assessment he has made of the burden placed upon the finances of people with haemophilia infected by HIV as a result of treatment through the National Health Service;
(6) if he will consider setting up an insurance scheme to allow people with haemophilia and HIV to obtain mortgage endowment schemes in order to protect the home on death of the family breadwinner from AIDS;
(7) what action has been taken by Her Majesty's Government to protect widows and dependent relations on the death of a person with haemophilia with AIDS;
(8) if he will make it his policy to pay a lump sum to all those infected with HIV from blood products.

§ Mr. Newton
I refer the hon. Member to my statement to the House on 16 November at column 773 in which I announced a grant of £10 million to the Haemophilia Society.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has on the average social economic status of people with haemophilia.

§ Mr. Newton
None.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what advice Her Majesty's Government give to people with haemophilia and HIV on their diet.

§ Mr. Newton
Specific advice to haemophiliacs with HIV on diet and other aspects of their health care is a matter for the doctors responsible for their treatment.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what detailed studies his Department has made of the effects of HIV on haemophiliac families and the effect the infection will have on the community at large.

§ Mr. Newton
While no specific study has been undertaken, we are aware, through haemophilia directors, other health care professionals, and the representations of the Haemophilia Society, of the many difficulties HIV infection can cause for haemophiliacs and their families. There is no reason however to expect consequential effects for the community at large, since HIV is not transmitted through normal social contacts.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what difference there is as regards area health care between(a) people with haemophilia and HIV and (b) other people with HIV.

§ Mr. Newton
In addition to the facilities of the National Health Service which are available to all patients with HIV, special health care for haemophiliacs is provided through a network of haemophilia centres. Specialist HIV counselling facilities for haemophiliacs and their families are available at haemophilia reference centres.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the propensity of(a) people with haemophilia and HIV and (b) people with HIV to develop AIDS.

§ Mr. Newton
Concerning(a) I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for 556W Warrington, South (Mr. Butler) on 16 November at columns 435–36. In our planning for the future care needs of people infected with HIV, the current estimate is that, in general, 30 per cent. of those who are HIV antibody positive will go on to develop AIDS within five years.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people there are under 16 years with haemophilia and HIV.

§ Mr. Newton
I regret that this information is not held centrally.

§ Mr. McCartney
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will allocate more money to regional haemophilia reference centres for the care of people with haemophilia and HIV.

§ Mr. Newton
We shall be deciding the precise amounts to be made available for 1988–89 as soon as possible.

§ Mr. Frank Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he expects to receive an application from the Haemophilia Society for additional resources to staff the running of the new trust fund for haemophiliacs infected from factor VIII products;
(2) whether it is his intention that the letter of intent establishing the trust fund for haemophiliacs infected from factor VIII products will insist that the Haemophilia Society will have to use all its revenue and capital to help only the 1,200 individuals and their immediate families.

§ Mr. Newton
It is our intention that the trust fund (both capital and revenue) will be used solely to help affected haemophiliacs and their dependants. The Department is working closely with the Haemophilia Society to assess the full implications for it of administering the new £10 million trust fund, and to determine how best to ensure that the necessary help and advice is available.

§ Mr. Frank Field
To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to complete his further consideration of proposals for disregarding tax and social security purposes any payments made by the Haemophilia Society from the trust fund set up from Government funds.

§ Mr. Newton
As soon as possible.