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Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill

My Lords, I have had an opportunity to consider this between Committee and Report. I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Kingsland, for raising the matter with me, and to the noble Baroness, Lady Butler-Sloss, for her interesting comments. I am afraid I cannot take the debate much further than at our last discussion. In 2005-06, the figures I have show that 15,492 compensation orders were made out of 96,000 sentences made in court. That suggests to me that courts find compensation orders are appropriate in a significant number of cases. It also presumes that they consider it feasible for the young person to pay that fine—not, I hope, through criminal practices because clearly that would go against the spirit, and indeed the letter, of the law in terms of the purpose of the criminal justice system. The courts have discretion here, although they also have to give reasons for not making an order when they are empowered so to do. I have no hard evidence that this is not working satisfactorily. I agree with the principle of compensation where it is appropriate. In view of this interesting discussion, I undertake to discuss the matter with the Youth Justice Board to see whether, either through guidance or through other actions, more needs to be done in this area.