§ Sir John WheelerTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the lower limit for eligibility for compensation under the criminal injuries compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Kenneth BakerA guiding principle in considering the allocation of available resources for the compensation for victims of crimes of violence is that compensation should go to the more serious cases. The Government are committed to upholding that principle.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided that to ensure the maintenance of this principle, applications for compensation received by the board on or after 6 January 1992 will be met only where the injury sustained would attract an award of at least £1,000.
The 27th annual report of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board recently announced a record annual payment to the victims of crimes of violence of £109.3 million in 1990–91, 50 per cent. more than the previous year.
Total spending on the CICB scheme in England, Wales and Scotland is set to rise to £144 million in 1992–93, £157 million in 1993–94 and £161 million in 1994–95.
The increase in funding from £48 million in 1987–88 to £144 million in 1992–93, £96 million amounts to a rise of 300 per cent.