§ Sir Brian MawhinneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many legal cases have been brought against the Government over the non-payment or late payment of compensation claims for surrendered handguns; and what was the outcome in each case. [27697]
§ Mr. MichaelCountry Court proceedings have been issued in four cases, as follows:
Court Number of guns involved Current position Ilford 2 Case struck out as disclosing no reasonable cause of action Cheltenham 3 Awaiting hearing Norwich 8 Awaiting hearing West London 2 Subject to Appeal The Appeal in the fourth case above is by the Home Office against a District Judge's refusal to strike out the case as disclosing no reasonable cause of action. A further case, before a Sheriff Court in Scotland, has also been struck out.
§ Sir Brian MawhinneyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many compensation claims arising from the surrender of handguns before 751W (a) 1 August 1997, (b) 1 September 1997, (c) 1 October 1997 and (d) 1 November 1997 were not paid by 1 February 1998. [27696]
§ Mr. MichaelThe information is not available in the detail requested, as all claims have not yet been entered on the computer system. At 1 February 1998, around 18,000 claims received in the Firearms Compensation Section after 1 September 1997 had received no payment, and 11,477 claims received on or before that date, the great majority of which are mixed claims which have received a payment under Options A and B of the compensation scheme, were awaiting payment under Option C.