Earlier this evening, Labour voted to stop the Tory-Lib Dem Government’s cuts to compensation for over 90% of seriously injured victims of violent crime and for the dependants of murder victims.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme currently supports over 30,000 injured victims each year with relatively small payments. These payments help to make up for lost wages whilst victims of crime are unable to work due to their injuries.
The Government’s proposed cuts would mean that compensation would not be available to victims who sustain injuries such as facial disfigurement, permanent speech impediment or multiple fractured ribs. The victims of dog attacks would no longer receive any compensation, no matter how serious their injuries.
Even those most seriously injured would have their payments slashed, as compensation for loss of earnings will be limited to the rate of Statutory Sick Pay – just £85 a week. And any victim who has had a period out of work in the previous three years (around a third of the UK workforce) will not receive any compensation for loss of earnings.
These same cuts and conditions will apply to the dependants of murder victims, drastically reducing their compensation and financial security following the death of a loved one.
The Government have sought to make these huge cuts to compensation for victims of crime by the back door, with no discussion by the full House of Commons. Labour MPs called this debate as a final opportunity for MPs to demonstrate to Government Ministers the fundamental flaws in their program of cuts to Criminal Injuries Compensation.
It was also a chance for MPs to stand up for the victims of crime and demonstrate to the Government that there must be a better way to make cuts than to 90% of seriously injured victims of violent crime and to the dependants of murder victims – who have no other means of redress.
I will continue to put the interests of victims first, unlike the Tory and Lib Dem MPs who voted in favour of these cruel and unnecessary cuts.
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