HC Deb 17 May 1995 vol 260 cc285-9W
Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many claims for dependency due to fatal injuries were made for criminal injuries compensation under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994; and how many resulted in an award; [23772]

(2) what was the highest award made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for psychiatric injury in cases determined under the common law scheme before April 1994; [23769]

(3) how many criminal injuries compensation cases decided under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994 involved injuries to the dominant hand or arm; [23773]

(4) what was the highest criminal injuries compensation award made to a child under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994; [23765]

(5) how many criminal injuries compensation awards involving fatal injuries were dealt with under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994; and what was the highest award; [23767]

(6) what was the highest criminal injuries compensation award for scarring injuries made under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994; [23774]

(7) how many fatal criminal injuries compensation cases decided under the tariff scheme would have resulted in a dependency award under the common law scheme; [23755]

(8) how many criminal injuries compensation cases were determined under the common law scheme in relation to children under 18 years between April 1993 and April 1994; [23764]

(9) what was the average criminal injuries compensation award made to a victim of child sexual abuse under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994. [23766]

Mr. Maclean

This information is not recorded centrally.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal injuries compensation cases were accepted under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994 which had been lodged out of time; and how many cases were rejected under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994(a) for being out of time and (b) under eligibility rules. [23776]

Mr. Maclean

In the year to 31 March 1994, the board received 3,704 out of time applications. In addition, 164 cases were carried forward from 1992–93. At 31 March 1994 the position was:

Numbers
Under consideration 356
Accepted 2,715
Refused 766
Abandoned by applicant 31

Reasons for refusal are not recorded centrally.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for criminal injuries compensation were lodged for consideration under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994; how many were rejected under eligibility rules; and how many resulted in an interim award under the common law scheme. [23771]

Mr. Maclean

In the year ending 31 March 1994, the board received 73,473 applications. Some 23,933 cases were rejected, and interim awards were made in 6,492 cases. The latter two figures include cases received before 1993–94.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal injuries compensation cases were pursued by way of appeal to a member level panel under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994; and how many were successfully appealed. [23775]

Mr. Maclean

The available information is that the board received 15,192 appeals and made 4,094 monetary awards following appeal.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for each tariff band, the(a) longest, (b) shortest and (c) average periods for an application for criminal injuries compensation to be determined under the tariff scheme; [23740]

(2) what was the average length of time to determine an application for criminal injuries compensation under the tariff scheme during the first year of its operation. [23758]

Mr. Malcean

All offers of award made under the tariff scheme will be honoured without prejudice to reassessment under the reinstated—1990—scheme. Applicants have three months in which to accept or reject an offer. The information requested will not therefore be available until at least three months after the last offers were made.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many awards for criminal injuries compensation have been made under the tariff scheme involving(a) combination awards for multiple injuries and (b) injuries not specified within the tariff of injuries; [23741]

(2) what have been the highest and lowest awards for criminal injuries compensation under the tariff scheme for an injury not specified within the tariff of injuries; and what were the injuries involved in each case. [23742]

Mr. Maclean

Six hundred and forty-one awards have been offered and accepted in cases involving more than one injury. No awards were made in respect of injuries not specified in the tariff.

Mr. Jack Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many criminal injuries compensation cases involving sexual violence have been determined under the tariff scheme; [23743]

(2) how many reviews were lodged under the tariff scheme for criminal injuries compensation against initial determination; [23756]

(3) what was the average award for criminal injuries compensation under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994; [23777]

(4) how many criminal injuries compensation claimants have received interim payments under the tariff scheme; [23753]

(5) how many fatal criminal injuries compensation cases have been decided under the tariff scheme; [23754]

(6) what was the highest award made under the common law criminal injuries compensation scheme between April 1993 and April 1994; [23768]

(7) how many awards for criminal injuries compensation were decided under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994. [23778]

Mr. Maclean

The answer is 690, 2,918, £4,064, 66, 54, £1,148, 760 and 40,635 respectively.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was(a) the average award, (b) the highest award and (c) the lowest award made in criminal injuries compensation cases involving sexual violence determined under the tariff scheme. [23744]

Mr. Maclean

The answer is £4,613, £17,500 and £1,00 respectively.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was(a) the average award, (b) the highest award and (c) the lowest award made under the tariff scheme for criminal injuries compensation involving psychiatric injury. [23745]

Mr. Maclean

This answer is £2,791, £20,000 and £1,000 respectively.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal injuries compensation cases determined under the tariff scheme involved(a) paralysis of all four limbs, (b) paralysis of the lower limbs, (c) hemiplegia, (d) serious brain damage and (e) brain damage with serious impairment. [23746]

Mr. Maclean

One award was made in respect of paralysis of all four limbs. No determinations were made in respect of the other categories.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal injuries compensation cases provisionally decided under the tariff scheme are expected to result in a higher award when reconsidered under the common law scheme. [23747]

Mr. Maclean

Based on assessments made when the tariff scheme was introduced, 40 per cent. of awards provisionally made might be expected to have been the same as, or less than, awards which would have been made under the scheme based on common law damages and as such to result in higher awards when reconsidered. It should be noted, however, that the provisional awards made are likely to have been typical since, because of the priority which was given to clearing the outstanding cases lodged before 1 April 1994 and the way in which the work was organised, the cases which were settled under the tariff scheme included a high proportion of nil awards.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal injuries compensation cases outstanding under the common law scheme were decided between April 1993 and April 1994. [23748]

Mr. Maclean

In the year ending 31 March 1994, the board resolved 65,293 cases.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal injuries compensation claims on behalf of children under the age of 18 years were(a) lodged and (b) determined under the tariff scheme between April 1994 and April 1995. [23759]

Mr. Maclean

Some 12,086 applications were received. Compensation was paid in 1,006 cases.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many child victims of sexual abuse lodged applications for criminal injuries compensation between April 1994 and April 1995; and how many have been determined. [23761]

Mr. Maclean

Information about the number of such applications is not recorded. Compensation was paid in 225 cases involving child victims of sexual abuse.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what were the administrative costs of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority between April 1994 and April 1995; [23763]

(2) what is the estimated administrative cost of dealing with the consequences of the House of Lords decision on the criminal injuries compensation scheme; and how much additional criminal injuries compensation he estimates will have to be paid as a result of the decision in respect of cases lodged between April 1994 and April 1995; [23749]

(3) what was the cost of setting up the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. [23762]

Mr. Maclean

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) on 25 November 1994,Official Report, column 446, and 26 April, Official Report, column 561.

The additional cost of compensation arising in respect of cases lodged in the year ending 31 March 1995 is likely to be in the order of £85 million.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the time it will take to reassess those criminal injuries compensation cases previously decided under the tariff scheme, in the light of the House of Lords ruling. [23770]

Mr. Maclean

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche) on 1 May,Official Report, column 92.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of time for determining criminal injuries compensation cases under the common law scheme between April 1993 and April 1994; and what was the average award. [23985]

Mr. Maclean

The board does not record information about the average length of time for determining cases, although paragraphs 3.11 and 3.12 of its 30th annual report do give some information on the subject. The average award was £4,064.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal injuries compensation claims lodged between April 1994 and April 1995 and not determined under the tariff scheme involve(a) fatal injuries, (b) injuries sustained in sexual attack, (c) paraplegia, (d) quadriplegia, (e) hemiplegia, (f) serious brain damage and (g) brain damage resulting in serious impairment. [23750]

Mr. Maclean

Some 1,192 cases involving fatal injuries were awaiting initial determination. Information on the other categories is not available.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal injuries compensation claims between April 1994 and April 1995 were(a) lodged under the tariff scheme, (b) decided under the tariff scheme, (c) accepted for eligibility under the tariff scheme, (d) rejected for eligibility under the tariff scheme, (e) rejected for eligibility under the tariff scheme which would have been eligible under the common law scheme. [23751]

Mr. Maclean

The available information is that in the year ending 31 March 1995, 66,387 cases were registered under the tariff scheme. Some 4,891 monetary awards were offered, and 11,076 cases were rejected or received "nil" awards. There is no information as to how many of the cases rejected under the tariff scheme would have been eligible under the common law scheme.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal injuries compensation cases have been decided under the tariff scheme, by tariff band. [23752]

Mr. Maclean

The breakdown of awards offered in the year ending 31 March 1995 was as follows:

Band Number
1 1,160
2 268
3 1,324
4 76
5 432
6 153
7 736
8 170
9 93
10 72
11 70
12 244
13 50
14 2
15 5
16 24
17 12
18 5
19 2
25 1

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many criminal injuries compensation cases were(a) pursued by way of review to the review panel under the tariff scheme and (b) successfully appealed to the review panel under the tariff scheme. [23757]

Mr. Maclean

One hundred and twenty appeals were made to the appeals panel. The tariff scheme was withdrawn before the panel considered any cases.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to publish the 30th report of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. [23984]

Mr. Maclean

It was published on 11 May 1995.

Mr. Straw

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the highest and lowest criminal injuries compensation awards made to children under the tariff scheme between April 1994 and April 1995. [23760]

Mr Maclean

The highest and lowest awards made to persons aged under 18 were £30,000 and £1,000.