HC Deb 26 November 1999 vol 339 cc236-8W
Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board have been under consideration for (a) less than six months, (b) six months to a year, (c) one to two years and (d) more than two years. [99219]

Mr. Boateng

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board and Authority advise that the number of cases under consideration at 31 October 1999 was as follows1990 Scheme

  1. (a) 74
  2. (b) 50
  3. (c) 53
  4. (d) 649
In addition, 7,944 cases awaiting an appeal were registered over two years ago. 1996 Scheme From date of registration awaiting a first decision:
  1. (a) 30,767
  2. (b) 11,571
  3. (c)+(d) 2,116
 From date of Review request awaiting a Review decision:
  1. (a) 6,555
  2. (b) 1,768
  3. (c)+(d) 595
 From date of Appeal request awaiting an Appeal decision:
  1. (a) 3,359
  2. (b) 2,451
  3. (c)+(d) 953.

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total compensation paid by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in each of the last seven years. [99223]

Mr. Boateng

The amount of compensation paid under the Scheme in each of the last seven years was as follows:

£
Compensation paid
year 1990 Scheme 1996 Scheme
1992–93 152,217,991 —
1993–94 165,136,267 —
1994–95 175,370,224 —
1995–96 179,036,888 —
1996–97 190,128,683 19,179,817
1997–98 118,839,529 82,675,619
1998–99 180,560,529 1113,781,330
1Provisional

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of claims dealt with by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in each of the last seven years; and how many of these resulted in compensation being awarded. [99220]

Mr. Boateng

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board is responsible for determining applications made before 31 March 1996 under the superseded common law damages based scheme (the '1990 Scheme'). Applications made on or after 1 April 1996 are determined by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority under the current tariff-based scheme (the '1996 Scheme'). The number of applications resolved and awards made in the last seven years is as follows:

Applications resolved Awards made
Year 1990 Scheme 1996 Scheme 1990 Scheme 1996 Scheme
1992–93 58,688 — 36,638 —
1993–94 65,293 — 40,635 —
1994–95 164,549 — 237,365 —
1995–96 76,225 — 44,036 —
1996–97 65,653 13,566 38,510 8,432
1997–98 21,730 57,814 13,552 31,528
1998–99 10,634 74,859 6,076 40,164
1Includes 7,680 cases originally considered under the aborted 1994 Tariff Scheme
2Includes 2,795 awards originally made under the aborted 1994 Tariff Scheme

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the projected total compensation to be paid by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in(a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001. [99222]

Mr. Boateng

Table 6 in the Home Office Annual Report 1999 showed that forecast expenditure on compensation in the years 1999–2000, 2000-01 and 20001–02 was £227 million, £202 million and £196 million respectively. Those figures are currently being reviewed in the context of the current spending review (Spending Review 2000).

Mr. Maclean

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average time waited by successful applicants for criminal injuries compensation in each of the last seven years. [99221]

Mr. Boateng

There are no meaningful average times applicable to criminal injuries compensation claims. Applications range from the very straightforward ones in which a decision may be issued within a few weeks through to exceptionally complicated cases in which it may take a number of years for the injury to be fully assessed.