§ Sir Bernard BraineTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for awards from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board made in 1988 and 1989 are still outstanding; in how many cases such claimants have died of their injuries before their claims were settled; what are the reasons for the delays in settling claims; and what steps are now being taken to speed up settlement.
§ Mr. John PattenOn 31 March 1988 and 31 March 1989 respectively 77,965 and 82,520 applications were outstanding. The board does not keep records of outstanding claims by year of application; nor of the number of applicants who die before their claims are settled.
Greatly increased applications over recent years, expected to exceed 50,000 this year, have led to the build-up of a heavy backlog, which is causing delays to all claims.
We have taken concerted action to enable the board to reduce delays and meet the increased demand. The board's staff have been increased from 220 in 1987 to 330 now through local recruitment to a new office in Glasgow; we have appointed more board members; the board's internal procedures have been reviewed and improved; a major computerisation programme is under way; and we have amended the compensation scheme to allow the board among other things to speed up its operations by delegating decisions to staff and reviewing disputed cases on the papers. The terms of the revised scheme, which will take effect on I February 1990, were set out in full in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 8 December 1989 at columns 409-17.