§ Mr. DunnachieTo ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether it is the practice of his Department normally to disregard payments of criminal injuries compensation placed on trust for two years only; and if he will make a statement;
(2) if he will review his Department's requirement that victims in receipt of criminal injuries compensation payments placed on trust should be required to have their affairs managed for them by trustees with a view to making it discretionary;
(3) if his Department will consider reviewing its rules governing payments made by trustees to victims in receipt of awards of criminal injuries compensation with a view to eliminating their present complicated and restrictive terms; and if he will make a statement.
§ Miss WiddecombeCompensation payments arising from a personal or criminal injury which are placed on trust are disregarded indefinitely in all the income-related benefits—income support, family credit, housing benefit and community charge benefit. The nature and terms of a trust are wholly the responsibility of the injured person or other person acting on his or her behalf, after taking any appropriate legal advice. The existing rules enable payments to be made out of the trust in a wide range of circumstances without affecting the injured person's entitlement to benefit. These rules are kept under review, although there are no plans to change them at present.