HC Deb 19 June 1968 vol 766 cc1093-4
17. Mr. Buchanan-Smith

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now announce details of the new arrangements for the compensation of the victims of hit-and-run accidents.

Mr. Bob Brown

Although the main shape of the new arrangements has been settled, it has not yet been possible to settle all the details which must go into a formal document. We hope to be able to inform the House of the new arrangements before the Summer Recess.

Mr. Buchanan-Smith

Why has there been this delay? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that negotiations have been going on for over two years and that four months ago the House was told that the new procedure would be brought into effect very shortly. Nothing seems to be happening.

Mr. Brown

I must correct the hon. Gentleman. He says that the House was told that the new procedure would be brought in very shortly. On the contrary, my predecessor said that he hoped that this would be so. He did not say that it would be. The hon. Gentleman asks why these details have taken so long. They are proving very complex. The field for the necessary consultations is very large. It includes the whole of the insurance market and other Government Departments, especially, of course, the Law Departments, and all this necessarily takes time.