§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the total cost to British taxpayers of meeting claims for criminal injuries from persons injured or affected by activities of terrorist organisations since the present troubles began in 1969.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 24th November 1975; Vol. 901, c. 78–9], circulated the following
Between 1st April 1969 and 31st October 1975 £17,149,912 was paid under the Criminal Injuries to Persons (Compensation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 and £129,266,900 was paid under Northern 684W Ireland Criminal Injuries Acts for damage to property. At 31st October 8,683 claims for personal injuries and 24,238 claims for damage to property were outstanding. The total cost of these is estimated at about £60 million.
The foregoing figures relate to all criminal injuries compensation paid from public funds and include compensation arising out of acts committed by terrorist organisations as well as compensation paid in respect of other causes.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the cost of running the previous Assembly and the power sharing executive; and what has been the cost of running the Northern Ireland Convention.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 24th November 1975; Vol. 901, c. 78–9], circulated the following:
The cost of the Northern, Ireland Assembly was about £690,000. The cost of the Northern Ireland Executive was £263,000 as I informed the hon. Member for Antrim, North (Rev. Ian Paisley) on 18th November 1974.—[Vol. 881, c. 330.]
The cost of the Northern Ireland Convention, up to 7th November 1975, is estimated to be £390,000.
§ Mr. Sillarsasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the total sum paid in compensation to companies and businesses who have had premises or plant destroyed or damaged by terrorists since the events of 1969.
§ Mr. Merlyn Rees, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 24th November 1975; Vol. 901, c. 78–9], circulated the following:
The records on criminal injuries compensation for malicious damage to property in Northern Ireland since 1969 are not compiled on a basis which distinguishes compensation paid to companies and businesses from other applicants, or compensation paid in respect of property damaged by terrorist acts and that damaged in other circumstances. A meaningful estimate therefore cannot be provided without a disproportionate use of staff time.