Ministers agree three-month deadline for UK infected blood compensation

Timeline for scheme comes after government accused of trying to ‘wriggle out’ of move to speed up payouts to victims

Ministers in the UK have agreed to a three-month deadline to establish a compensation scheme for victims of the infected blood scandal but warned it could be “unavoidably” delayed if parliament was not sitting.

While making no mention of an election, the deputy Lords leader, Earl Howe, pointed out that “dissolution, prorogation or adjournment” could affect the government’s ability to take action, but added this was “a risk and no more”.