HC Deb 05 July 1972 vol 840 cc547-8
37. Mr. John Hannam

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to make compulsory the display of insurance discs on motor vehicles.

Mr. Peyton

No, Sir. I doubt that this would achieve the result my hon. Friend has in mind.

Mr. Hannam

That is a very disappointing reply. Does not my right hon. Friend agree, from the correspondence which I have sent him, that there is ample evidence that many innocent victims of car crashes are unable to obtain the necessary ownership and insurance particulars from the guilty party? Will he take steps to require the inclusion of such information about ownership and insurance on the existing Road Fund licence disc?

Mr. Peyton

That is another question. I take this opportunity to say how sorry I was to read of my hon. Friend's unhappy experience. I am sorry to add to it by giving a disappointing answer, but I greatly doubt that the sort of thing he has in mind would be helpful. I am looking into the matter raised in his letter. If one could produce an effective answer to the problem, no one would be more pleased than I.

Mr. Raphael Tuck

But what harm is there in acceding to the hon. Gentleman's request? What is against it?

Mr. Peyton

If the hon. Gentleman thinks that the best criterion of good regulation is that it does not do any harm, I beg leave to differ.