§ Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the average waiting time for applicants for criminal injury claims to be dealt with;
(2) how many outstanding criminal injury applications there are to date.
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§ Mr. MellorI would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Sir E. Griffiths) on 23 April 1986, at column 149.
§ Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of staff working for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for each year from 1979 to 1985.
§ Mr. MellorThe number of staff in post at the board, on 1 April of each year from 1979 to 1985, was as follows (part-time staff being each counted as one-half):
Date Staff in post 1 April 1979 132.5 1 April 1980 156.5 1 April 1981 155 1 April 1982 163 1 April 1983 163 1 April 1984 182 1 April 1985 189
§ Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he intends to take to reduce the number of outstanding criminal injury compensation applications.
§ Mr. MellorThe financial provision for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in 1986–87 allows for an increase in staff and in compensation. We are assessing the appropriate provision for 1987–88 and subsequent years, having in mind the continued increase in applications.
§ Mr. Easthamasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of applications for criminal injuries compensation for each year from 1979 to 1985.
§ Mr. MellorThe information requested was published in respect of the financial years 1979–80 to 1984–85 in the 18th and 21st reports of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (Cmnd. 8752 and Cmnd. 9684). The provisional figure of applications received by the board in 1985–86 is about 39,700.