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| Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to be overhauled | Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme to be overhauled |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Criminals will only be able to claim compensation for being victims of crime in "exceptional circumstances", under proposals by the justice secretary. | Criminals will only be able to claim compensation for being victims of crime in "exceptional circumstances", under proposals by the justice secretary. |
| Ken Clarke wants to reform the taxpayer-funded Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme after annual costs trebled to almost £300m since 1997. | Ken Clarke wants to reform the taxpayer-funded Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme after annual costs trebled to almost £300m since 1997. |
| Mr Clarke also wants criminals to contribute more towards the scheme. | Mr Clarke also wants criminals to contribute more towards the scheme. |
| Payment of "victim surcharges" by more offenders, and higher fines for driving offences, will raise £50m for victims. | Payment of "victim surcharges" by more offenders, and higher fines for driving offences, will raise £50m for victims. |
| Mr Clarke wants to stop criminals claiming for injuries and psychological damage, as part of the reforms to be announced later. | Mr Clarke wants to stop criminals claiming for injuries and psychological damage, as part of the reforms to be announced later. |
| Claims for minor injuries under the scheme for people in England, Wales and Scotland would also be restricted under the plans. | Claims for minor injuries under the scheme for people in England, Wales and Scotland would also be restricted under the plans. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw says ministers believe the system is out of control. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw says ministers believe the system is out of control. |
| Over the past decade, 20,000 people with criminal records have been paid more than £75m, including a rapist and a person convicted of two killings. | Over the past decade, 20,000 people with criminal records have been paid more than £75m, including a rapist and a person convicted of two killings. |
| 'Mental anxiety' | 'Mental anxiety' |
| Claims over the past year alone have been made by more than 3,000 prisoners and ex-prisoners. | Claims over the past year alone have been made by more than 3,000 prisoners and ex-prisoners. |
| In one minor injuries case, a claimant received a four-figure sum for "temporary mental anxiety" after being hit over the head with a bunch of flowers. | In one minor injuries case, a claimant received a four-figure sum for "temporary mental anxiety" after being hit over the head with a bunch of flowers. |
| There were also four-figure payments for a claimant with a broken finger and another with a small cut under the eye. | There were also four-figure payments for a claimant with a broken finger and another with a small cut under the eye. |
| A claim for compensation by Soham murderer Ian Huntley also drew strong criticism after he was badly injured by another inmate. He was convicted of the murders of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2005. | A claim for compensation by Soham murderer Ian Huntley also drew strong criticism after he was badly injured by another inmate. He was convicted of the murders of schoolgirls Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2005. |
| However, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority said Huntley would not have received a payout under the existing system because of the severity of his crimes. | However, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority said Huntley would not have received a payout under the existing system because of the severity of his crimes. |
| Under the current scheme, if a conviction is spent - it happened a considerable amount of time ago - or if a person was not jailed for more than 30 months, they can claim compensation. | Under the current scheme, if a conviction is spent - it happened a considerable amount of time ago - or if a person was not jailed for more than 30 months, they can claim compensation. |
| If a conviction is not spent - more recent or more serious - then compensation can still be claimed, but it may be reduced. | If a conviction is not spent - more recent or more serious - then compensation can still be claimed, but it may be reduced. |
| In future, however, a person with a criminal record will only be able to claim compensation in exceptional circumstances. | In future, however, a person with a criminal record will only be able to claim compensation in exceptional circumstances. |
| This could include, for example, a minor offender who is very seriously injured or a criminal who prevents someone else being attacked. | This could include, for example, a minor offender who is very seriously injured or a criminal who prevents someone else being attacked. |
| More for victims | More for victims |
| Under Mr Clarke's proposals, perpetrators of crime would also pay into the scheme through a victim surcharge of between £15 and £120, depending on the severity of the crime. | Under Mr Clarke's proposals, perpetrators of crime would also pay into the scheme through a victim surcharge of between £15 and £120, depending on the severity of the crime. |
| Currently, only criminals fined as part of their punishment are forced to pay a charge of a £15 flat rate. | Currently, only criminals fined as part of their punishment are forced to pay a charge of a £15 flat rate. |
| This means that the most serious offenders are not paying to support victims' services, the government says. | This means that the most serious offenders are not paying to support victims' services, the government says. |
| Money would also be raised for victims' services by increasing fixed penalty notices for motoring offences, which have remained at the same level for 10 years, and through deductions from prisoners' pay from work in prison. | Money would also be raised for victims' services by increasing fixed penalty notices for motoring offences, which have remained at the same level for 10 years, and through deductions from prisoners' pay from work in prison. |
| Criminal defence lawyer Greg Foxsmith questioned the changes, saying there was a "moral argument" that a criminal past should not automatically mean a person was any less deserving of compensation. | Criminal defence lawyer Greg Foxsmith questioned the changes, saying there was a "moral argument" that a criminal past should not automatically mean a person was any less deserving of compensation. |
| "I don't think it (the changes) will make any great or significant difference," he told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme. | "I don't think it (the changes) will make any great or significant difference," he told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme. |
| "The scheme as it currently stands already allows a prohibition on people with criminal records receiving money, so this is really a bit of gesture politics." | "The scheme as it currently stands already allows a prohibition on people with criminal records receiving money, so this is really a bit of gesture politics." |
| Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said the proposals appeared to be a "smokescreen, masking much wider and deeper cuts to compensation for those innocent victims of crime". | |
| But Conservative MP Ben Gummer, who is on the Justice Select Committee, said the scheme "fails the common sense sniff test". | But Conservative MP Ben Gummer, who is on the Justice Select Committee, said the scheme "fails the common sense sniff test". |
| "Why should people in prison or serving a community sentence be able to claim compensation? The justice secretary, rightly, is trying to do something about it," he said. | "Why should people in prison or serving a community sentence be able to claim compensation? The justice secretary, rightly, is trying to do something about it," he said. |
| Have you claimed compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme? What do you think of plans to reform it? You can send us your views and experiences using the form below. | Have you claimed compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme? What do you think of plans to reform it? You can send us your views and experiences using the form below. |