HL Deb 24 March 1994 vol 553 cc31-2WA
Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Why it is their policy to introduce a new Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme for Great Britain without consulting Parliament or the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, while undertaking not to change the present scheme in Northern Ireland without "a full consultation exercise with all interested parties" (HL Deb, 9 March, col. 1520).

The Minister of State, Home Office (Earl Ferrers)

Following the announcement by my right honourable friend the then Home Secretary in November 1992 that the Government were proposing to change to a tariff based scheme for compensating the blameless victims of crimes of violence, there were discussions with the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board about the details of the new scheme. The new scheme has also been the subject of debate in both Houses of Parliament.

The scheme in Northern Ireland is different from that in Great Britain. It is a statutory scheme which could only be amended by new legislation. Northern Ireland Ministers have a long-standing commitment to public consultation on proposals for new legislation.

Lord Lester of Herne Hill

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether (a) they will place in the Library of the House a copy of their letter to the European Committee on Crime Problems of the Council of Europe, dated 3 March 1994, sent pursuant to Article 13 of the European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crime; and (b) they will send a supplementary letter to the European Committee enclosing a copy of the Hansard report of the debate in the House of Lords, on 2 March 1994, on the proposed changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme.

Earl Ferrers

A copy of the letter has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

I understand that the Secretary of the European Committee on Crime Problems already has a copy of the Official Report of the debate on 2 March 1994.