Member

The noble Baroness, Lady Finn, raised the downgrading of compensation claims. I will address the concerns about compensation awards being downgraded or inconsistent. Noble Lords will recognise the importance of complete clarity and transparency on this issue, as we attempt to rebuild trust with people who have been so devastatingly impacted by the scandal. The compensation scheme’s tariffs have been developed based on expert advice. They were set out on GOV.UK prior to being established in regulations, and I assure the House that these amounts have not been reduced since they were published. I recognise that financial compensation will not be sufficient for many people to make up for the trauma they have faced as a result of this scandal, but it is my hope that, through this scheme, we can begin to provide closure for so many people who have needlessly suffered as a result of the continued failures of the state.