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Injuries (Compensation)

Volume 886: debated on Friday 21 February 1975

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asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the procedure to be followed by Service men who wish to apply for compensation after they have been invalided out of the Service as a result of injuries sustained in Northern Ireland.(2) how many Service men have applied for compensation for injuries sustained in Northern Ireland;(3) what is the average length of time taken to process each application for compensation for injuries sustained in Northern Ireland;(4) how many applicants for compensation for injuries sustained in Northern Ireland are awaiting decisions.

It should not be possible for a Service man to be invalided out of the Service as a result of injuries known to have been sustained in Northern Ireland as a result of terrorist activity without a claim for compensation having already been made. Any ex-soldier who considered, however, that he had a legitimate claim for compensation hitherto unregistered should obtain legal advice before considering an appeal through the county court.Since 1st April 1969, under the Criminal Injuries to Persons (Compensation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968, 2,207 notices of intention to claim compensation have been received from Service men in respect of criminal injuries sustained in Northern Ireland.A sample of all claims under the Criminal Injuries to Persons (Compensation) Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 settled since 1st March 1969 indicates that over half were settled within a year of the incident, and that the average waiting time from the date of the incident to the date of payment of the award of compensation was 70 weeks in a death case and 47 weeks in an injury case.Out of a total of 18,407 applications for compensation under the Act since 1st March 1969, 7,337 cases were outstanding on 31st January 1975.