Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority

Helen Grant Excerpts

Tuesday 16th July 2013 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mrs Helen Grant)]

On Friday 30 November 2012, I made a written statement to Parliament—Official Report, column 39WS, announcing the triennial review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. I am pleased to announce the conclusion of the review and publication of the report today.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is the Government body responsible for administering compensation schemes in respect of criminal injuries in England, Scotland and Wales as well as for victims of overseas terrorism. The authority’s aim is to compensate the blameless victims of violent crime or acts of terrorism overseas. Part of the Ministry of Justice, it was established in 1994 under prerogative powers.

The review has concluded that there is a continuing role for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. The functions it performs are necessary to the provision of compensation to the blameless victims of violent crimes.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is currently classified as an Executive non-departmental public body. However, it is currently run, in effect, as an Executive agency of the Ministry of Justice. The triennial review report therefore recommends reclassifying it as an Executive agency, to better reflect its current operation and the changes made to its management structure made since the National Audit Office’s 2007 report, “Compensating victims of violent crime” (HC 100 Session 2007-08), http://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2007/12/0708100.pdf. This will ensure that the improvements made in dealing with victims’ claims quickly and effectively continue, and that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is more accurately classified.

As this reclassification is a technical change to CICA’s status, it was not necessary to undertake a stage two review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority’s governance arrangements. However, officials from the authority and from my Department are undertaking an informal governance review, and will feed its findings into a revised framework document for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority.

The triennial review was carried out with the participation of a wide range of stakeholders and users, in addition to the body itself. The review was publicised on my Department’s website and stakeholders were invited to contribute through a Call for Evidence and a series of meetings. In addition to the project board, which oversaw the review, a critical friends group challenged the evidence used to make conclusions. Membership of this group included representation from the Cabinet Office and the National Audit Office.

I am grateful to all who contributed to the triennial review. The final report has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.