§ Mr. Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to amend the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995 so that same-sex couples are dealt with in the same way as heterosexual couples. [93923]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeWe mounted a public consultation exercise on the compensation scheme earlier this year. That public debate was informed by the issue of a consultation paper "Compensation for Victims of Violent Crime: Possible Changes to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme". The possibility of extending eligibility for fatal awards to partners of the same sex was one of the options for change mentioned in that paper.
We received over 50 responses to the consultation exercise and a wide variety of proposals for change was put forward, including the suggestion that fatal awards be given to same-sex partners. We are still considering the results of the consultation exercise, and hope to be able to say later in the year how we proposed to take matters forward.