HC Deb 07 October 2003 vol 411 cc39-40W
Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average turn-around for applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority was in the last 12 months; and what percentage were settled within a year. [128360]

Paul Goggins:

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority advise that in the year ending 31 August 2003, the average time between the date an application was received and the date the applicant was notified of the decision on that application was, for the 72,531 cases so determined, 294 days. In 53,159 cases (73 per cent.) the decision letter was issued within 12 months of receipt of the application.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of complainants in criminal investigations claimed compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation scheme in the last 12 months; and what percentage pursued a civil action for damages. [128361]

Paul Goggins:

Such information is not recorded centrally.

Mr. Denis Murphy:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in each of the last five years criminal courts in England ordered offenders to pay compensation to their victims. [127252]

Paul Goggins:

The number of offenders ordered to pay compensation for all offences at all courts, England 1997 to 2001 is as follows:

Year Offenders ordered to pay compensation1
1997 95,410
1998 99,198
1999 99,337
2000 98,558
2001 100,910
1 These data are on the principal offence basis

Statistics for 2002 will be published in December.

Mrs. Curtis-Thomas:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to issue guidelines which prescribe the relationship between the police and personal injury solicitors. [128359]

Paul Goggins:

The Government's publication "Complex Child Abuse Investigations: Inter-Agency Issues" refers directly to matters relevant to the disclosure of information by the police to solicitors in historical abuse cases. We feel that this provides sufficient guidance, as there should be no need for any further relationship between the two parties.