British Minister defends Damilola compensation pay-out

The British Government has moved to defend the £10,000 compensation pay-out to the family of murdered schoolboy Damilola Taylor.

The money, branded an "insult" by Damilola's aunt, does "not put a 'value' on the life of a victim," British Home Office minister Charles Clarke insisted.

The 10-year-old died on November 27 last year after he was stabbed in the leg with a broken bottle in south London.

He crawled 100 yards before bleeding to death in a stairwell on the North Peckham estate.

A total of 14 teenagers and an adult have since been arrested but released without charge by police.

Damilola's parents Richard and Gloria Taylor will receive the £10,000 from the British Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA).

Mr Clarke said it was set as a "fixed fatal award" tariff which is part of "probably by far the most generous scheme in the world".

He added: "The fatal award is in the nature of a gesture of condolence on behalf of society. And the award is in fact more generous than the amount payable under the fatal accidents legislation.

"Contrary to the impression conveyed by some recent press coverage of this tragic case, the fixed fatal award does not put a 'value' on the life of a victim.

No sum of money could reasonably do that," he said in a Commons written reply to British Labour party member Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead).

Mr Clarke added that the determination of individual cases was a matter for CICA and that ministers could not comment on or intervene in decisions.

The British Government has completed a review of the scheme with responses to a public consultation exercise evenly split on whether the award should be increased, he said: "On balance, we decided not to recommend changes to the tariff level at which the fatal award is fixed."