Tag: Cabinet Office

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 22 May 2026.

The Cabinet Secretary, with the approval of the Prime Minister, has announced the appointment of Adrian Bird CB as the new Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) and head of the Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO). Adrian will replace Dame Madeleine Alessandri DCB, CMG, who is stepping down after three years in the role. 

Adrian is currently Chief of Defence Intelligence at the Ministry of Defence, and has previously held senior roles in the Government Communication Headquarters. Adrian brings a wealth of experience from his current role and his career in GCHQ.

Adrian will lead a multidisciplinary team of expert officials in the JIO, providing real time security and risk assessments and advice to Ministers and the Prime Minister, and helping to develop government policies that keep the country safe and secure.

The Cabinet Secretary, Dame Antonia Romeo, said:

I am delighted to announce the appointment of Adrian Bird to this crucial role at this critical time for the country. Adrian’s extensive national security experience at the MoD and GCHQ make him an excellent fit to lead the dedicated security officials in the JIO, and to provide expert advice to the Prime Minister to keep the UK safe and secure. 

I would also like to thank Madeleine Alessandri for her brilliant leadership as JIC Chair over the last three years, and her contribution to the wider Civil Service leadership, and to wish her well in her retirement.

Commenting on his appointment, Adrian Bird said:

It is an honour to be appointed as the new Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee. I am delighted to be joining the JIO team and to have an opportunity to lead the UK’s professional intelligence assessment community, and to work closely with our trusted partners to deal with national security challenges of today and tomorrow. 

I wanted to thank Dame Madeleine Alessandri for her excellent leadership of the JIO and I know she leaves the organisation in a strong position. I look forward to building on this and working with the team to meet the future challenges. I wish Madeleine a well-deserved retirement.

Outgoing JIC Chair, Madeleine Alessandri said: 

The Joint intelligence Committee continues to play a vital role in the security of the United Kingdom. Amid unprecedented volatility in geopolitics and exponential advances in technology, clear-eyed assessment to reduce uncertainty for policymakers at moments of critical decision has never been more important.  

It has been a privilege to chair the Committee.  And it has been an honour to work with the brilliant people across the breadth of the UK national security system who enable assessments that are rigorous, impartial, and relevant to the challenges we face as a country.

I am delighted that Adrian has been chosen to take on this extraordinary role – at an extraordinary moment in our 90 year history.    

Adrian will take up his new post on 3 July.

Notes for Editors

Adrian Bird is currently Chief of Defence Intelligence in the Ministry of Defence. Adrian is the first civilian to hold this MoD role, having previously been held by military personnel. His successor in the MoD will be Lieutenant-General Matthew Jones, OBE.  

Adrian has been in his current role since 2022. He joined government service in 1993 and held a wide variety of positions in GCHQ and FCDO culminating in two successive GCHQ Director General posts before he moved to the MoD

Adrian has been in his current role since 2022.

The role

The Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) is responsible to the Prime Minister for supervising the work of the JIC. The post-holder also leads the Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO) and is adviser to the Prime Minister on intelligence.

The Joint Intelligence Committee

The Joint Intelligence Committee is the cross-government committee responsible for providing Ministers and senior officials with timely intelligence assessments on critical strategic national security issues. 

The Chair of the Joint Intelligence Committee reports to the Cabinet Secretary. 

The Joint Intelligence Organisation

The JIC is supported by the Joint Intelligence Organisation (JIO), a multi-disciplinary team of data scientists, analysts, economists and national security professionals. This dynamic and highly collaborative team is responsible for drafting all-source assessments on policy-relevant strategic issues and provides warning of threats to UK national interests.

The JIO sits at the heart of the UK intelligence assessment community and draws on the full range of reporting and expertise available across government, academia, business and international partners.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 20 May 2026.

National memorial service held at St Paul’s Cathedral to remember Infected Blood victims.

• A service of recognition, remembrance and reflection for the infected blood community will take place at St Paul’s today, on the eve of the second anniversary of the Infected Blood Inquiry reporting. 
• The service has been designed by the Infected Blood Memorial Committee in consultation with the wider community.
• The service will provide an opportunity to remember the harms, losses, and trauma faced by the community and the loved ones who have been lost.

The thousands of individuals and families impacted by the Infected Blood scandal will be honoured today (Tuesday, 19 May 2026) at a national service of recognition, remembrance and reflection in St Paul’s Cathedral.

The service has been planned by the Infected Blood Memorial Committee, which is made up of members of the infected blood community, and will be attended by state representatives and community supporters. 

The Memorial Committee has invited those it wishes to witness the impact of the scandal so that it may never be repeated.

The Prime Minister, The Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer, said:

We stand with the infected blood community to bear witness to the lives lost and those changed forever. As a nation, we must ensure the lessons of this scandal are never forgotten.

I pay tribute to their extraordinary courage and dignity in their long fight for truth and justice, and extend my sincere thanks to the Infected Blood Memorial Committee for the care, compassion and dedication behind this service.

Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, The Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds, said: 

For decades, the infected blood community fought with extraordinary courage to uncover the truth and this service is about recognising the loss, trauma and harm faced by the community.

I would like to thank the Infected Blood Memorial Committee for the time and dedication that has gone into organising the service. Their work on memorialisation, following the recommendations made by Sir Brian Langstaff, is vital to ensuring that this scandal is always remembered and its lessons never forgotten.

The Chair of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee, Clive Smith, said: 

Today’s service at St Paul’s is a long-overdue day for the contaminated blood community.  

For the first time, representatives of the state will stand together with the community in a moment of national recognition, remembrance and reflection. Today, we remember and bear witness to the thousands impacted by this scandal.  

We honour those who are no longer with us, those who cannot be with us, and those who continue to ensure the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS is never repeated.

The service will be livestreamed for members of the community who are unable to attend in person. The service has been designed to be inclusive and interactive for the community. 

The service will include:  

• Symbolic empty chairs interspersed amongst the congregation to represent those no longer with us and those who are unable to be in attendance. 
• A reading of names, where the entire congregation will be asked to read out the first name of a person put forward to be remembered and honoured together. 
• A moment of silence as thousands of white, red and yellow petals fall from the Whispering Gallery.
• A short address from Sir Brian Langstaff, Chair of the Inquiry. 
• Hymns chosen by the community, and over 50 volunteers will light candles in remembrance.

In addition to the St Paul’s Cathedral Consort (choir), Michael Ball is expected to perform Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, and the London Contemporary Voices Choir, who sang at the close of the Inquiry, will sing Emeli Sandé’s Read All About It.

The service is about remembering the harms, losses, and trauma faced by the community, and making time for the community to come together to remember the loved ones who have been lost. 

As well as delivering the commemorative events recommended by the Inquiry, the Infected Blood Memorial Committee continues to work to establish a national memorial. The Committee is also committed to supporting Infected Blood Memorials being built at Treloars School and in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

The Committee expects to publish their first report in early 2027. This will set out the Committee’s recommendations to the Minister for the Cabinet Office on the location and principles behind the national memorial. These recommendations will be informed by their engagement with the community. 

Tuesday, 19 May, marks the eve of the second anniversary of the Infected Blood Inquiry’s full report. The Inquiry examined how men, women and children treated by the National Health Service across the UK were given infected blood and blood products from the 1970s onwards.

ENDS

Notes:

• The Infected Blood Inquiry, chaired by Sir Brian Langstaff, was set up in 2017 to examine the circumstances where men, women and children treated by the national health services in the UK were given infected blood and blood products, in particular since the 1970s. This has become known as the infected blood, or contaminated blood, scandal. This inquiry closed on 31st March 2026. 
• The Infected Blood Memorial Committee has been established following the recommendations of Sir Brian Langstaff in the Infected Blood Inquiry Report in May 2024.
• Recommendation 2 is “Recognising and remembering what happened to people”. Recommendation 2 reads:

• 2a.  A permanent memorial be established in the UK and consideration be given to memorials in each of Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland. The nature of the memorial(s), their design and location should be determined by a memorial committee consisting of people infected and affected and representatives of the governments. It should be funded by the UK government.

• 2b.  A memorial be established at public expense, dedicated specifically to the children infected at Treloar’s School. The memorial should be such as is agreed with those who were pupils at Treloar’s.

• 2c.  There should be at least three events, approximately six months apart, drawing together those infected and affected, the nature and timing of which should be determined by a working party as described above, facilitated by some central funding.

• This recommendation has been accepted in full by the UK Government, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive. This recommendation is being taken forward on a UK-wide basis.
• The funding for this is separate from the money allocated to pay compensation.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 18 May 2026.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Lisa Nandy and Minister for Economic Transformation, Blair McDougall, will today lead a delegation of 250+ strong business and cultural leaders to the US to drive economic growth at a major expo, Greater Together LA.

• Following King Charles’s historic address to Congress, the UK Government’s GREAT Britain & Northern Ireland Campaign is holding a major expo in Los Angeles, California, from 18th – 22nd May, 2026.
• 250+ of the UK’s financial, tech and cultural leaders are heading to LA to drive growth and transatlantic cooperation
• The event, jointly led by Culture Secretary, Lisa Nandy and Minister for Economic Transformation Blair McDougall, has attracted major corporate sponsors, including presenting partners American Airlines, British Airways, PwC UK and TSL.

The Secretary of State for Culture, Lisa Nandy and Minister for Economic Transformation, Blair McDougall, will today (Monday 18th May) lead a delegation of 250+ strong business and cultural leaders to the US to drive economic growth at a major expo, Greater Together LA.

The mission will convene hundreds of business and cultural leaders to strengthen the vital partnership which is underpinned by investment stock totalling around $1.5 trillion in each other’s economies, supports over 2.6 million jobs and a $437 billion trading relationship.

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy said:

The UK’s creative industries, sporting heritage and world-class tourism are among our greatest national assets – and Greater Together LA is an extraordinary opportunity to showcase them on the world stage.

From our music and film sectors to sport and the arts, this delegation will demonstrate the immense cultural and commercial value the UK brings to our partnership with the United States.

I look forward to deepening those connections and opening new doors for British talent and creativity.

Greater Together LA will focus on driving commercial outcomes across the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy sectors and aims to secure new growth opportunities following last year’s record-breaking £150 billion in investment commitments. 

The visit, which arrives on a chartered British Airways flight, follows the recent removal of US tariffs on UK-made whisky, an industry worth £1 billion in annual exports. It also builds on the momentum of AstraZeneca’s new £300 million investment in the UK, fueled by the 2025 Pharmaceutical Partnership.

Co-hosted by Sir Lucian Grainge and Sir Jony Ive, the event features speakers including Simon Cowell, singer/songwriter Leona Lewis, Sir Paul Smith, scientist Dr Katie King, WPP CEO Cindy Rose, astronaut Major Tim Peake and ambassador Sir Christian Turner, alongside leading academics and the chief executives of British Airways, News Corp and American Airlines.

Following his successful state visit to the US a fortnight ago, His Majesty the King has called Greater Together LA a “remarkable gathering”, encouraging delegates to “deepen existing alliances and forge new ones” and noting that a “willingness to think boldly about collaboration will help create opportunities that benefit communities across the United Kingdom, the United States and beyond”. His Majesty will address the delegates of the conference via a video message.

The event will explore UK-US cooperation in AI, quantum computing, cultural exchange, fintech, scientific innovation and much more.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is due to visit the Getty Museum to explore links with British regional museums and galleries, as well as the Amazon MGM Studios at the Culver Studios complex, where many classics from Hollywood’s Golden Age were filmed.

Britain’s tourism offer will be showcased by VisitBritain, which is forecasting that visitors from the USA will spend £7.5 billion on their trips to the UK this year, up 4% on the estimate in 2025. That means more than £1 in every £5 spent by overseas visitors in the UK is by a visitor from the USA.

The growing demand from American students to study abroad will also be reflected by the GREAT ‘Study UK’ Campaign, which will spotlight transatlantic academic collaboration as both a pathway for student mobility and driver of economic growth and global connection.

Presenting partners for the mission include American Airlines, British Airways, PwC UK and TSL, alongside Payward, The Wall Street Journal and YouTube as official partners and official supporters DOOH.com and Premier League.

The UK possesses some of the world’s leading life science, financial and cybersecurity industries. By connecting UK innovators with US investors, the delegation will drive high-quality jobs and economic growth in both countries.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 13 May 2026.

The UK Government and European Commission gave a joint statement following the 18th meeting of the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights.

The 18th meeting of the Specialised Committee on Citizens’ Rights was held on 13 May 2026 in Brussels, co-chaired by officials from the European Commission and the UK Government. Representatives from EU Member States were also in attendance.

The co-chairs took stock of the implementation of the Citizens’ Rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement, and discussed elements that require further work, under the overall objective of ensuring the full, timely and faithful implementation of the Agreement.

Representatives from civil society organisations, representing EU citizens living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU, attended the meeting and expressed their views and experience from the ground.

The co-chairs welcomed overall progress on the issuance of documents for Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries correctly evidencing their status, while noting that many beneficiaries were yet to obtain them. They underlined the importance of ensuring a successful transition to permanent residence for all eligible EU citizens and UK nationals over the course of this year.  

The co-chairs also discussed the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) and the UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation Scheme (ETA) and recalled that guidance is available for Withdrawal Agreement beneficiaries for a better understanding of the applicable rules on the websites of the Commission (PDF, 528KB) and of the UK Government.

The EU reiterated the concerns about the approaches that affect the rights of EU citizens when attempting to travel on a certificate of application, access to proper appeal rights for EU citizens whom the UK authorities consider were originally granted their residence status in error, and about NHS charges for those who submit a successful residence application after the June 2021 deadline, with particular consequences for newborn children. 

The UK highlighted its concerns with the implementation of one member state concerning the treatment of late applications and the risk of further issues in the future as UK nationals seek to acquire permanent residence. The UK also noted that several EU Member States are not currently providing overseas criminal conviction certificates in a timely fashion, resulting in delays to EUSS application processing times. 

The EU and the UK underlined their ongoing commitment to the full implementation of the Citizens’ Rights part of the Withdrawal Agreement and to continue meeting regularly to advance. They agreed to meet again in autumn 2026.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 11 May 2026.

HMGCC (His Majesty’s Government Communications Centre) has today announced the appointment of Dr Simon Fabri as its new Chief Executive, leading the organisation’s work at the forefront of national security and defence technology.

Dr Fabri takes up the role today (11 May), succeeding Dr George Williamson CMG, who has left HMGCC to join the Alan Turing Institute.

Founded in 1938, HMGCC is the UK government’s centre for national security engineering. Based at Hanslope Park in Milton Keynes, it brings together engineers, scientists and technologists to develop specialist tools and technologies that support national security, defence and law enforcement, helping to keep the UK safe.

For much of its 88-year history, HMGCC operated almost entirely behind the scenes. In recent years, it has begun to share more of its technology challenges openly, working with partners across industry and academia through initiatives such as HMGCC Co‑Creation to source the best innovation from across the UK and beyond.

Dr Fabri joined HMGCC in 2023 to lead its product and engineering teams. Since then, he has overseen significant changes to how the organisation designs and delivers technology, strengthening its ability to respond to rapidly evolving national security threats.

Before joining HMGCC, Dr Fabri built a career spanning academia and industry, with senior roles across the telecommunications, energy and automotive sectors, followed by leadership positions at Amazon.

Commenting on his appointment, Dr Fabri said:

I am proud to be taking on this role at a time of both significant challenge and opportunity for HMGCC.

Technology and national security are becoming ever more closely linked, and that intersection sits at the heart of HMGCC’s mission. I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the work we do and the impact it has on the UK’s security and defence capability.

As Chief Executive, Dr Fabri will focus on building on HMGCC’s existing strengths: investing in its in‑house technical expertise, deepening partnerships with industry and academia, and ensuring that the organisation continues to deliver cutting‑edge capabilities for the national security community.

He added:

HMGCC brings together exceptional people, world‑class facilities and a strong location within the Oxford–Cambridge growth corridor. This gives us a unique opportunity to work with partners across the UK to strengthen our national security technology base.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 7 May 2026.

The UK Government and European Commission gave a statement after the Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework meeting.

The Specialised Committee on the Implementation of the Windsor Framework met in Brussels today, co-chaired by officials from the European Commission and the UK Government.

The co-chairs took stock of the implementation of the Windsor Framework since the last meeting on 3 December 2025. They reaffirmed the importance of continued work to deliver the full, timely, and faithful implementation of the Windsor Framework.

They welcomed the further progress made in the Windsor Framework’s implementation across various areas and noted the remaining work to be undertaken to deliver in full the safeguards underpinning the flexibilities for the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

In the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) area, they noted the satisfactory functioning of the SPS inspection facilities and individual labelling requirements, as well as the positive direction in the provision of information in the general SPS certificates. Progress should however continue on the remaining pending issues, including full compliance of certificates, box-level labelling, and ensuring that flexibilities are applied for compliant goods only. They also took note of the robust ongoing preparatory work for the interplay between the Windsor Framework SPS provisions and the future EU-UK SPS Agreement, which is undertaken to fulfil the commitment from the Common Understanding(1) from the EU-UK Summit of 19 May 2025.

The co-chairs also took stock of the ongoing work in the area of customs. They welcomed the finalisation of the work to grant Union representatives access to all relevant UK IT systems. They noted the ongoing discussions at technical level on customs duties of business to consumer parcels. They stressed that further work to ensure that the Windsor Framework arrangements in the customs and trade area are implemented properly should also continue.

They welcomed the technical flexibilities in the functioning of the Duty Reimbursement Scheme for the benefit of Northern Ireland operators whilst maintaining the necessary protection of the Union Single Market.

The co-chairs took stock of the work of the Joint Consultative Working Group and its structured sub-groups, noting its good functioning and the usefulness of the exchange of information.

They reiterated the importance of the joint engagement with Northern Ireland stakeholders, which should continue, thus supporting the advancement of the Windsor Framework implementation.

The co-chairs also noted the conclusion of their work relating to the exchange of views on the implications of the Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Resilience Acts for the proper functioning of the Windsor Framework, in line with Article 13(4) of the Windsor Framework, following on from the delegation of that responsibility by the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee. They would report to the Joint Committee co-chairs on their work with a view to advancing the process foreseen under Article 13(4) of the Framework at the next Joint Committee meeting.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 2 May 2026.

Hundreds of UK business leaders will travel to the US later this month as part of the largest ever UK trade mission to the country, building on the success of the State Visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen.

• Following the successful State Visit of His Majesty King Charles III, Greater Together LA will build on positive momentum to convene hundreds of business and cultural leaders from both countries.
• With investment stock between both countries already reaching around £1.2 trillion and supporting over 2.6 million jobs in UK and US, Greater Together LA will drive jobs at home through commercial opportunities abroad.
• Follows removal of US tariffs on UK-made whisky and new £300 million investment in UK by AstraZeneca announced this week 

Hundreds of UK business leaders will travel to the US later this month as part of the largest ever UK trade mission to the country, building on the success of the State Visit of Their Majesties the King and Queen this week.

The State Visit culminated with the US announcing the removal of tariffs on UK-made whisky – an industry worth around £1bn in exports to the US each year and supporting thousands of jobs across the UK. The removal of tariffs builds on the historic agreement secured by the Prime Minister last year, which has saved millions of pounds for British exporters.

It also follows a £300 million investment from pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca, announced this week, with the firm and the UK Government attributing the investment to the pharmaceutical partnership between the UK and the US struck in December 2025.

The partnership makes the UK the first country in the world to secure 0% tariffs on pharmaceutical exports to the US, with UK pharmaceutical exports to the US worth at least £5 billion a year.

Greater Together LA will be led by Secretary of State for Business and Trade Peter Kyle and will run from 18-22 May, bringing together policymakers, business leaders, investors and creative minds from both countries to drive real commercial outcomes across sectors. 

Co-hosted by Sir Lucian Grainge (CEO, Universal Music Group) and Sir Jony Ive (Founder, LoveFrom), delegates will hear first-hand insights of headline voices from key sectors of the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy. Speakers include: Sean Doyle (CEO, British Airways), Cindy Rose OBE (CEO, WPP), Robert Thomson (CEO, News Corp), Mira Murati (CEO, Thinking Machines Lab), two-time Super Bowl winner Osi Umenyiora, Sir Paul Smith, Simon Cowell and many more. 

Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle said:

This relationship is one of the most important economic partnerships in the world, and this week’s removal of tariffs on whisky demonstrates that – it’s a tangible win for British industry and for UK-US relations.

Greater Together LA is all about turning the strength of this relationship into real commercial outcomes, and I can’t wait to get out there with British businesses and show American partners exactly what the UK has to offer.

Greater Together LA will celebrate the strength and potential of the UK-US relationship. With investment stock reaching around £1.2 trillion in each other’s economies and supporting over 2.6 million jobs in each country, the relationship is vital for driving the economic growth at the heart of the government’s Plan for Change. 

The government’s eight Modern Industrial Strategy sectors will be represented by senior business leaders from across the UK, showcasing where this government is backing industry with a deliberately more active state. 

Ewan Venters, Executive Chairman Paul Smith and Chair of the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland Campaign Private Sector Council said:

The private sector has a vital role to play in cementing the UK’s position as America’s partner of choice – and that’s exactly why we are bringing together the very best of UK business, creativity and innovation to Los Angeles this month.

We have seen a fantastic appetite to join the Greater Together LA delegation, from a whole range of organisations; testament to the clear opportunity that the US market presents for driving jobs and growth here in the UK.

Greater Together will bring UK businesses and investors together with US counterparts, building on a successful Presidential Visit to the UK last year, when a record-breaking £150bn investment commitments were unveiled, creating more than 7,600 high-quality jobs across the UK. 

Presenting partners of the event include British Airways and American Airlines, TSL and PwC. Official partners of the event include Payward, YouTube and the Wall Street Journal.

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 1 May 2026.

The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) yesterday (30 April 2026) raised the UK National Threat Level from SUBSTANTIAL, meaning an attack is likely, to SEVERE, meaning an attack is highly likely.  

The increase in threat comes following the stabbing in Golders Green in North London, but it is not solely a result of that attack. The terrorist threat level in the UK has been rising for some time, driven by an increase in the broader Islamist and Extreme Right Wing terrorist threat from individuals and small groups based in the UK.

While the UK National Threat Level set independently by JTAC reflects the terrorist threat in the UK, it comes against a backdrop of increased state-linked physical threats which is encouraging acts of violence, including against the Jewish community. This is an independent, systematic, and rigorous process, based on the very latest intelligence and analysis of internal and external factors which drive the threat.

For the public, this means remaining alert but not alarmed.  If you see anything that doesn’t feel right report it via the ACT Action Counters Terrorism website. In an emergency always call 999. 

The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 22 April 2026.

The Chair of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee, with the approval of the Minister for the Cabinet Office, has announced the appointment of Susan Harris as Vice-Chair.

Susan has been a longstanding, active and trusted advocate for the infected blood community. Susan was infected with Hepatitis C at just 6 months old as a result of treatment she received for an inherited bleeding disorder.

Susan has worked with the whole blood community throughout her career, advocating for further support and engaging regularly with the Hepatitis C Trust, Haemophilia Society and Thallesemia Association. 

Susan replaces Joan Edgington as Vice-Chair, who has provided invaluable support to the Memorial Committee throughout her tenure.

Chair of the Infected Blood Committee, Clive Smith said:

I am very pleased to welcome Susan as the Vice-Chair of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee. Following Joan stepping down from the role, Susan’s appointment is especially important to ensure the Committee is representative of the whole community.

Susan has done a huge amount of work to advocate and support the whole blood community. She has also worked closely with the Thalassemia community. I look forward to working with Susan to progress this important work.

David Abdo also interviewed for the Vice-Chair position and was an outstanding candidate. On the basis of his interview, David is being appointed as an additional committee member. 

The new Vice-Chair of the Infected Blood Committee, Susan Harris said:

I am deeply honoured to accept the appointment of Vice Chair for the Infected Blood Memorial Committee. Having witnessed the decades-long struggle for justice and recognition, I am profoundly committed to ensuring that the voices of the infected and affected remain at the heart of our work. 

I look forward to collaborating closely with the Chair, Clive Smith, and our fellow committee members to deliver memorials that provide not only a site for national reflection but also a powerful, lasting recognition of the lives lost and the injustices endured. It is a solemn responsibility to help shape a legacy that truly honours the resilience of this community, and I am dedicated to ensuring that our collective history is never forgotten.

The appointment has been agreed, on the advice of the Chair, by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas-Symonds. 

Susan and David will join the rest of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee who are working with the community to create fitting memorials to recognise and remember what happened to people. 

The Committee is preparing for the Infected Blood: A Service of Recognition, Remembrance and Reflection at St Paul’s Cathedral on 19 May in honour of those impacted by the scandal.