Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority processes and decides applications for compensation in a timely manner.

I understand that applicants have endured traumatic experiences. Compensation is a way in which we recognise victims’ suffering. Last year we paid over £164m in compensation to victims seriously injured or bereaved by violent crime and two thirds of new applications were decided within 12 months.