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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| U-turn on curbing payments to victims of minor criminal assaults | U-turn on curbing payments to victims of minor criminal assaults |
| (7 months later) | |
| In the latest government U-turn, ministers have axed plans to scrap compensation payments to victims of minor criminal assaults. | In the latest government U-turn, ministers have axed plans to scrap compensation payments to victims of minor criminal assaults. |
| The Ministry of Justice had wanted to limit payments under the criminal injuries compensation scheme so that only seriously injured victims would be eligible, saving £50m on a bill to taxpayers that last year stood at £449m. | The Ministry of Justice had wanted to limit payments under the criminal injuries compensation scheme so that only seriously injured victims would be eligible, saving £50m on a bill to taxpayers that last year stood at £449m. |
| But critics claimed the move would leave victims unable to seek redress for attacks and accused the government of putting deficit reduction before compassion. | But critics claimed the move would leave victims unable to seek redress for attacks and accused the government of putting deficit reduction before compassion. |
| A ministry spokesman said: The government is committed to providing the best possible support for victims of crime – maintaining compensation for the most seriously affected – and to reforming the criminal injuries compensation scheme to put it on a sustainable financial footing. | A ministry spokesman said: The government is committed to providing the best possible support for victims of crime – maintaining compensation for the most seriously affected – and to reforming the criminal injuries compensation scheme to put it on a sustainable financial footing. |
| "We have listened to the views expressed in parliament and will now consider our next steps." | "We have listened to the views expressed in parliament and will now consider our next steps." |
| The shadow justice minister, Rob Flello, welcomed the U-turn, saying: "Even contemplating these cuts that would have affected innocent victims of crime shows this Tory-led government is out of touch. | The shadow justice minister, Rob Flello, welcomed the U-turn, saying: "Even contemplating these cuts that would have affected innocent victims of crime shows this Tory-led government is out of touch. |
| The move comes a week after the justice secretary, Ken Clarke, was ousted from the department and replaced by Chris Grayling, who is seen as more rightwing. | The move comes a week after the justice secretary, Ken Clarke, was ousted from the department and replaced by Chris Grayling, who is seen as more rightwing. |
| Just last week, the junior justice minister Helen Grant, newly promoted in the recent Cabinet reshuffle, defended the proposed changes in the Commons. She said: "We concluded that the scheme needed to focus resources on the victims who are most seriously affected by injuries that they suffer as a result of deliberate violent crime committed in England, Wales and Scotland. | Just last week, the junior justice minister Helen Grant, newly promoted in the recent Cabinet reshuffle, defended the proposed changes in the Commons. She said: "We concluded that the scheme needed to focus resources on the victims who are most seriously affected by injuries that they suffer as a result of deliberate violent crime committed in England, Wales and Scotland. |
| Grant told MPs the revamped criminal injuries compensation scheme represented "a coherent and fair way of focusing payments on those most seriously affected by their injuries, within an affordable budget". | Grant told MPs the revamped criminal injuries compensation scheme represented "a coherent and fair way of focusing payments on those most seriously affected by their injuries, within an affordable budget". |
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