§ Mr. Robert McCartneyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Chief Constable's certificates have been issued for isolated acts of arson occurring this year where evidence of criminal involvement is only assumed; what power the Compensation Agency has to agree to compensate where no such certificates are issued; and how many times that power has been used in 1995–96. [4459]
§ Sir John WheelerInformation on the number of Chief Constable's certificates issued under article 5(2) of the Criminal Damage (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 for specific acts is not available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In the absence of a Chief Constable's certificate, the power to compensate is contained in articles 4, 5(1)(a) and 6 of the order. These provide that the Secretary of State shall pay compensation where damage has been maliciously or wantonly caused to agricultural property, or where damage has been unlawfully, maliciously or wantonly caused to any180W property by three or more persons unlawfully, riotously or tumultuously assembled, or where three or more persons who are tumultuously and riotously assembled, unlawfully, maliciously or wantonly cause damage to a building or to property within the curtilage of a building and in the course of the riot a person unlawfully removes any property from such a building. In 1995–96, 465 claims for criminal damage compensation were cleared under these provisions.