§ Mr. HawkinsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what(a) has been the total cost of compensation paid to date and (b) estimate he has made of that to be paid to the end of 1997–98 under the Firearms Acts. [19102]
§ Mr. MichaelAs at 28 November, £25.4 million had been paid out in compensation. The current estimate of compensation payments in 1997–98 is £115 million. This figure will be reviewed in the new year in the light of further progress on the processing of payments.