Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance his Department has issued to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority on the assessment of victims of trafficking.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme 2012 (the Scheme) is a government-funded scheme designed to compensate victims of violent crime in Great Britain.

The rules of the Scheme are approved by Parliament; however, the Scheme is administered by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority independently of ministers and Parliament.

The Scheme includes residency and nationality requirements for those claiming compensation; however, the Scheme expressly allows this requirement to be waived for recognised victims of human trafficking. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is responsible for any guidance to its decision makers relating to the assessment of claims for compensation, including those from victims of trafficking.