§ Mrs. LaitTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Criminal Injuries Compensation Board claims are currently being processed by their Complaints Board; what percentage this constitutes of total claims; and how many complaints relate to claims originating in each year since 1990. [47978]
§ Mr. MichaelIt is assumed that the Question relates to appeals and other hearings cases still to be resolved by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) under the 1990 scheme, effective for claims received to 31 March 1996.
At 26 June 1998, there were 17,736 such cases, forming 85 per cent. of the residual work outstanding under the 1990 scheme. The distribution according to the year in which the original claim was received is as follows:
Year of receipt of original claim Appeals/hearings cases to be resolved Pre-1990 352 1990 206 1991 425 1992 630 1993 1,055 1994 3,338 1995 8,063 To 31 March 1996 3,667 Total 17,736 The total includes a number of cases resolved in previous years, but re-opened on medical grounds.
For claims received under the 1990 scheme between 1990 and 31 March 1996, the percentage in which an application for, or referral to, an oral hearing was subsequently made averaged 20 per cent. (range 16 to 22 per cent.).
For claims received on or after 1 April 1996 under the tariff-based scheme (in which CICB has no role), for decisions made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority are open to review by the Authority, and reviewed decisions are open to appeal before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel. Present indications are that the percentage of full appeals cases is less than 10 per cent. of total claims received. The new scheme is designed to offer a faster service to victims at all stages.