Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the administrative efficiency of the Windrush Compensation Scheme in making payments to eligible people.

The Home Office is processing claims as quickly as possible, but all claims are different, and the time taken will depend on many factors, including the complexity of the case. Wherever possible, the Home Office makes interim payments on parts of the claim that are straightforward to determine, such as immigration fees.

However, it is worth noting that the Home Office works with claimants during the process to obtain as much information about the claim as possible. This approach ensures that claimants receive the maximum amount to which they are entitled under the scheme

The most recent published statistics on the payments made under the Windrush Compensation Scheme show a clear increasing trajectory of payments: £755,111 paid up to 30 June 2020, of which £392,114 was paid in the most recent three months of that period. I also announced on 15 July that over £1.5m has now been offered in compensation to claimants. Once the offers are accepted by the applicants, the payments will be made.