§ Mr. RendelTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will announce a date by which all outstanding payments under the compensation for handguns scheme will be completed; [82026]
(2) how many people who have handed in large or small calibre hand-guns to the police are still waiting to receive final payments under the two firearms compensation schemes; [82025]
(3) what action he is taking to reduce the time it is taking to process compensation payments for people who have handed in handguns to the police. [82027]
§ Mr. BoatengPayment offers have been made on all, but around 250 claims, mainly under Option C of the compensation schemes, cannot yet be fully processed. This is principally because the required evidence of value of the surrendered guns and ancillary equipment has not yet been provided. There are around 2,600 outstanding offers of payment, mainly where the claimant has not yet responded, or where the amount of the offer is in dispute. It is not possible to give a firm date for the completion of all payments, as this depends in part on the claimant's response to the payment offer.