§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Moray of 30 November,Official Report, columns 393–94, he will give for each year since and including the year ended 31 March 1974 the number of applications rejected by a single member, where, subsequently, the applicant is granted an award;
(2) if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Moray of 30 November, Official Report, columns 393–94, he will give the number of applications rejected for each year ended 31 March since and including 31 March 1974 for (a) Scotland and (b) England and Wales.
§ Mr. John PattenThe table sets out the available information kept by the board and published in its annual reports. In many cases the decisions made at hearings relate to applications originally rejected in previous years.
150W
Year ended 31 March Applications Rejected Applications rejected by a single Member where an award was Wales made after a hearing Scotland England and Wales 1974 377 930 174 1975 407 1,103 186 1976 483 1,303 218 1977 504 1,543 258 1978 437 1,486 299 1979 543 2,200 348 1980 554 2,213 366 1981 1,081 4,147 1—
Year ended 31 March Applications Rejected Applications rejected by a single Member where an award was Wales made after a hearing Scotland England and Wales 1982 911 3,484 1— 1983 1,062 4,292 1— 1984 1,550 6,072 1— 1985 1,328 5,612 1— 1986 1,226 5,485 1— 1987 1,278 5,202 1— 1988 1,306 5,178 1— 1989 1,451 6,768 1— 1 Information not collated.
§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Moray of 30 November,Official Report, columns 393–94, he will breakdown the percentage of cases submitted to a single member from date of registration of claim within a period of over 12 months to show the percentage of cases submitted within (a) 12 to 15 months, (b) 15 to 18 months, (c) 18 to 21 months, (d) 21 to 24 months, (e) 24 to 27 months, (f) 27 to 30 months, (g) 30 to 33 months and (h) 33 to 36 months.
§ Mr. John PattenThe board does not at present keep a breakdown of such cases for periods over 12 months but has been asked to do so in future years.
§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Moray of 30 November,Official Report, columns 393–94, he will instruct the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to record the average time taken to process a claim from registration to (a) issue to the applicant of the award, and in rejected applications (b) the date of final rejection of the claim.
§ Mr. John PattenNo. Collection of information on average times for awards to be made or claims to be rejected would provide no reliable guide to the board's performance. Average times would be distorted by cases where uncertain prognosis or the need for extensive inquiries precluded an early determination.
§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Moray of 30 November,Official Report, columns 393–94, he will instruct the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board to record the number of applicants who die before their claims are decided.
§ Mr. John PattenThe board is not necessarily aware of the reasons why applications lapse.
§ Mrs. Margaret EwingTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Moray of 30 November,Official Report, columns 393–94, whether the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board records in respect of each application (a) the date of issue to the applicant of the decision of the single member, (b) the date of issue to the applicant of the decision of the board, where not by a single member and/or (c) the date of issue to the applicant of the award.
§ Mr. John PattenThis information is held on individual case files but is not collated.