HC Deb 08 February 1977 vol 925 cc666-8W
Mr. Wm Ross

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the financial years 1975–76 and for the period 1st April to 31st December 1976 the amounts of compensation paid to the Armed Forces and the police, excluding costs and expenses, other categories, the total for these categories and years and the amount of the outstanding claims at 31st December 1976.

Mr. Mason

The amounts of compensation paid under the Criminal Injuries to Persons (Compensation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 in the financial year 1975–76 and in the period 1st April 1976 to 31st December 1976 are set out in the table below:

loans made for a specific purpose had any effect on the priority rating of comparable schemes in Northern Ireland which were to be assisted by or carried out by United Kingdom public expenditure in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Mason

The information is as follows:

European Regional Development Fund: £3.9 million received in respect of industrial projects was retained by the Government in partial repayment of the cost of assistance already provided to the promoters of the projects. £2.1 million received in respect of infrastructure projects will be used to reduce the capital indebtedness of organisations with infrastructure responsibilities.

European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund: £1.63 million received was applied to 21 individual capital projects intended to improve the agricultural structure.

European Social Fund: £6.38 million received was retained by the Government in partial repayment of the cost of training and other eligible activities and £0.07 million received was paid to private firms undertaking these operations.

EEC grants allow the Government to sustain a greater level of regional assistance

Financial year Number of claims received Number of claims settled Amount of compensation paid
1975–76 … … 10,330 15,700 £45,844,522
1976–77 to 31st December 1976 … … 7,826 10,548 £28,303,922
18,156 26,248 £74,148,444

The estimated value of claims outstanding at 31st December 1976 was £59 million, of which £35 million had been

than would otherwise have been the case. Therefore an individual project's priority is unaffected by its failure to qualify for such a grant.