HC Deb 06 April 1982 vol 21 cc270-3W
Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been paid compensation for false imprisonment in each of the last 10 years; and what amounts they were paid.

Mr. Whitelaw

The available information is contained in the following table. Those to whom payment was made under the head of "wrongful imprisonment" include

Year Wrongful Imprisonment Amounts (£) Excessive Detention Amounts (£) Total
1972 None Nil 1 25 1
1973 1 750 3 200 4
25
25
1974 1 17,500 2 45 3
70
1975 1 2,000 4 1,500 5
150
100
80
1976 5 5,000 5 1,000 10
10,000 100
1,000 250
1,000 35
1,000 130
1977 1 2,500 7 250 8
40
290
50
150
43
775
1978 6 1,100 2 90 8
1,500 50
987
10,000
160
10,000
1979 8 1,109 7 65 15
1,469 260
750 36
1,854 40
10,915 26
21,020 640
4,575 52
15,575
1980 17 6,500 7 600 24
9,170 104
10,050 26
10,710 3,200
7,500 45
7,500 5,320
14,417 495
750
13,500
13,100
7,500
8,500
13,050
5,690
5,000
1,000
1,500

persons released from custody after their convictions had been quashed by the Court of Appeal, persons remanded in custody but not proceeded against, persons acquitted at trial and persons released from prison by the exercise of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy. Payments to persons whose detention in custody was unlawfully prolonged because of a miscalculation of sentence or other administrative error are shown separately under the heading of "excessive detention".

Year Wrongful Imprisonment Amounts (£) Excessive Detention Amounts (£) Total
1981 7 9,950 5 15 12
180 345
8,142 165
25,000 500
18,000 450
22,000
1,000

Mr. Ashley

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision is available for a person to appeal against the official assessor's recommendation of compensation following false imprisonment.

Mr. Whitelaw

There is no provision for any formal appeal, but representations against the amount of ex-gratia awards are referred to the assessor if they contain some new argument or consideration that has not previously been advanced or which there is reason to believe the assessor may have overlooked.