§ Mr. Charles KennedyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the length of time is within which the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is under an obligation to(a) respond to and (b) settle claims inquiries; and if he will make a statement. [131476]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeThe Authority's key performance indicator for dealing with applications is to issue a first decision in 90 per cent. of cases within 12 months of receipt of the application. This target recognises that, because of their complexity, a substantial proportion of cases will unavoidably take longer to settle.
The Authority's service aims include responding within two weeks to any written inquiry about an application and to respond to any formal complaint within one month.