§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what criteria are applied by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in interpreting the meaning of the word "conduct" in paragraph 17 of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme; to what extent it applies the standards of negligence at civil law in laying down such criteria; and what guidance has been given by his Department on this subject;
(2) what estimate he has made of the effect on crime prevention of the interpretation of the word "conduct" as set out in paragraph 17 of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme as meaning negligence at civil law; and what action he proposes to take.
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§ Mr. CarlisleThe interpretation of the scheme is a matter for the board, and I would refer the hon. Member to the comments on paragraph 17 in the board's Seventh Report (Cmnd. 4812). The Home Office has given the board no guidance on the paragraph, except to inform it that it is not intended to exclude from compensation a person of criminal habits who is the victim of criminal injuries wholly unconnected with his criminal character and background. I am not aware that the board has indicated that it interprets "conduct" as including negligence at civil law.