HC Deb 04 June 1957 vol 571 cc85-6W
Mr. Benson

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give an estimate of what would be the cost involved in paying compensation to the victims of violent crimes on the same basis as the compensation given through the Industrial Injuries insurance to persons injured in the course of their work.

Mr. R. A. Butler

If the victims of offences of personal violence were to receive benefits and allowances similar to those payable under the Industrial Injuries Scheme and the number and nature of such offences remained as in 1956, the total cost of the payments if made under a funded scheme would be about £200,000 a year. But in some of these cases National Insurance benefits and allowances, costing about £50,000 year, are already payable and the additional cost of such compensation would therefore be about £150,000 a year.