§ Mr. Michael McNair-Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for the Home Depart- 522W ment (1) whether he will advise the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to review its policy on making public awards to individuals, in view of recent Press publicity on the award to Mr. Hamilton Fairley.
(2) when he expects awards to be made to Mr. Paul Thomas, Mr. Gareth Walters and Mr. Stephen Ollerhead, all of whom were in the Welsh Guards at the time of the IRA bomb explosion in Caterham in August 1975, and who were the guardsmen referred to in the answer given on 20th October to the hon. Member for Newbury.
§ Mr. JohnThe board's transactions are conducted in confidence, and it is not its policy to make public statements about individual applications. There is a delicate balance to be preserved in these matters, and the working party that is reviewing the operation of the scheme is considering whether there should be any change in this practice. Though I have no responsibility for individual awards I am writing to the hon. Member about this matter.