CRIMINAL INJURIES COMPENSATION SCHEME

That this House gives full support to the blameless victims of violent criminals who suffer physically, emotionallyand financially from the injuries inflicted on them; supports the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme as the only means of recompense for almost 40,000 seriously or fatally injured victims every year; and calls on the Government to withdraw proposals to abolish compensationfor half of the victims, to cut the awards of a further 41 per cent and to slash payments for loss of earnings made to the most seriously injured, who are unable to return to work after more than 28 weeks and to the dependants of fatally injured victims.