Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will introduce proposals to revise Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority rules in line with the recommendation of the Interim Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published on 25 April 2018, so that awards are not automatically rejected in circumstances where an applicant’s criminal convictions are likely to be linked to their child sexual abuse.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse published its Interim Report on 25 April. The Report contains a series of recommendations for specific changes, several of which are directed at Government. This includes a recommendation that:

• the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme remove barriers so that where an applicant’s criminal conviction(s) is/are linked to their child sexual abuse, their claim is not automatically rejected.

The Government welcomes the Report and is now considering the Inquiry’s recommendations very carefully. We will respond fully in due course.