Oral Answers to Questions

Lord Cryer Excerpts

Tuesday 13th November 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Grant]

The Government are committed to ensuring that as many victims as possible receive compensation from offenders. The Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 places a new duty on courts to consider imposing compensation in any case where the victim has suffered injury, loss or damage. Issuing guidance to courts is a matter for the independent Sentencing Council, not for the Government, but the council’s guidelines already draw the courts’ attention to their powers to impose compensation.

[John Cryer (Leyton and Wanstead) (Lab)]

To what extent is this form of compensation a substitute for the criminal injuries compensation scheme, which has been cut to ribbons by the order laid in July this year?

[Mrs Grant]

Criminal injuries compensation is state-funded compensation. This is offender-funded compensation; it is completely different.