Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many applications to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority are outstanding for more than (a) 12 months, (b) 18 months and (c) two years.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (the 2012 Scheme) does not prescribe a time limit for applications to be decided.

The majority of applications are decided within 12 months. Each case must be considered on its own facts. In most cases, CICA needs to get information from third parties such as the police and medical authorities.

Some applications will by necessity take longer to decide. This could be where information is not available due to ongoing court proceedings, where CICA needs time to assess the long-term impact of complex injuries (e.g. brain injuries), or where there is an application for loss of earnings (which requires at least 28 weeks of loss).

In the financial year 2024-25, the average time to make a decision was 370 days*.

The following table** shows the number of applications awaiting a first decision for more than 12, 18 and 24 months as at 31 March 2025.

* This figure is based on cases that were decided in 2024-25. The applications may have been received in earlier years.

**The table does not include applications deferred under paragraph 98 of the 2012 Scheme.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what the average waiting time is for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority to (a) process and (b) determine claims for compensation.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (the 2012 Scheme) does not prescribe a time limit for applications to be decided.

The majority of applications are decided within 12 months. Each case must be considered on its own facts. In most cases, CICA needs to get information from third parties such as the police and medical authorities.

Some applications will by necessity take longer to decide. This could be where information is not available due to ongoing court proceedings, where CICA needs time to assess the long-term impact of complex injuries (e.g. brain injuries), or where there is an application for loss of earnings (which requires at least 28 weeks of loss).

In the financial year 2024-25, the average time to make a decision was 370 days*.

The following table** shows the number of applications awaiting a first decision for more than 12, 18 and 24 months as at 31 March 2025.

* This figure is based on cases that were decided in 2024-25. The applications may have been received in earlier years.

**The table does not include applications deferred under paragraph 98 of the 2012 Scheme.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when her Department plans to publish its response to proposals submitted by the fuels sector on the inclusion of refined oil products in the scope of the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

From 2027, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will apply to imported goods from the aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, and iron & steel sectors. When considering which sectors should be included in the scope of the CBAM, the government looked primarily at three factors: inclusion in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), carbon leakage risk, and feasibility and effectiveness of applying the CBAM.

Whilst the refining of fuel is within scope of the UK ETS and is considered at risk of carbon leakage, there are concerns about the sector’s ability to ascertain the carbon content of imported goods at a product level due to high levels of co-production in the sector. Therefore, refined oil products will not be included in the scope of the CBAM from January 2027.

The sectoral scope of the CBAM will be kept under review beyond 2027 as new evidence comes to light to reflect methodological and technological advances.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress her Department has made on considering the inclusion of refined oil products in the scope of the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

From 2027, the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will apply to imported goods from the aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, and iron & steel sectors. When considering which sectors should be included in the scope of the CBAM, the government looked primarily at three factors: inclusion in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), carbon leakage risk, and feasibility and effectiveness of applying the CBAM.

Whilst the refining of fuel is within scope of the UK ETS and is considered at risk of carbon leakage, there are concerns about the sector’s ability to ascertain the carbon content of imported goods at a product level due to high levels of co-production in the sector. Therefore, refined oil products will not be included in the scope of the CBAM from January 2027.

The sectoral scope of the CBAM will be kept under review beyond 2027 as new evidence comes to light to reflect methodological and technological advances.

In Scotland, as in other parts of the UK, concerns have been raised about how high streets and town centres are changing. Scotland’s high streets face multiple challenges, and many have been described as being in ‘decline’. However, possible new models for resilient and thriving high streets are emerging, while there continues to be interest in community-led regeneration. This inquiry will engage with local communities and other stakeholders to explore what a positive vision for the future of Scottish high streets and town centres might look like, and to examine what role government might play in making this vision a reality.

Submit Evidence (by 12 Dec 2025)

Reliable digital infrastructure is essential for enabling economic growth, public service delivery and social inclusion—especially in Scotland’s rural and island communities. These areas often face unique challenges due to geographic isolation and low population density, which can make the rollout of broadband and mobile networks more complex and costly. This inquiry will explore how digital connectivity can be improved across Scotland, and whether current UK and Scottish Government initiatives are delivering for the communities that need them most.