Written question asked by Lord Laird (Ulster Unionist Party), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord McNally (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 1 March 2011.

Criminal Justice: Compensation

Question: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord McNally on 27 January (WA 186), whether Michelle and Lisa Taylor were compensated under the discretionary scheme which was abolished in 2006 or under another scheme or procedure; and, if they were not compensated, why not.

Answer: As I explained in my Answer of 27 January (Official Report, col. WA 186), it is the policy of the Ministry of Justice not to comment on individual applications for compensation unless the applicant has already put the matter into the public domain. The department’s policy has been endorsed by the Information Commissioner. A copy of a decision by the Information Commissioner relating to a request for disclosure of similar information under the Freedom of Information Act has previously been placed in the library. For that reason, in the cases of John and Ronnie Actie, Michelle and Lisa Taylor and Ivan Fergus I can neither confirm nor deny whether an application for compensation was received. In the case of Colin Stagg I am aware that he made the fact of his award of compensation under the now abolished discretionary compensation scheme known to the media through a number of interviews. The discretionary compensation scheme was abolished for new applications on 19 April 2006 by the then Home Secretary.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 7149; 725 c298-9WA
Session: 2010-12
Related items: Criminal Justice: Compensation
Thursday, 27 January 2011
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Compensation Miscarriages of justice Taylor, Lisa Taylor, Michelle
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk