§ Mr. Eldon Griffithsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the large number of police officers injured in recent months, he will expedite the review he is conducting of the criminal injuries compensation scheme; when he received the recommendations of the review body and the comments of the Police Federation, the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Superintendents' Association; why three letters to his 436W Department from the Police Federation requesting information about the review so far have received no replies; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorA review of the criminal injuries compensation scheme is currently being conducted by an interdepartmental working party with a view to the introduction of legislation to place the scheme on a statutory footing. The working party's report is expected by the end of the year. The Police Federation's comments on the subject of the review were sent on 11 July and those of the Association of Chief Police Officers on 6 July. No comments have been received from the Superintendents' Association.
The current review is separate from the Rayner scrutiny of the administrative efficiency of the criminal injuries compensation board which took place in 1982 and whose terms of reference excluded any review of the scheme. I regret the delay which has occurred in replying to letters from the Police Federation about the outcome of that scrutiny; a reply was sent on 27 July.