§ 29. Mr. David Steelasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek powers to enable him to grant compensation for loss of use of motor cycles purchased by or for persons aged 16 years of age at the end of 1971; and for whom valid driving licences were then issued.
§ Mr. Eldon GriffithsI would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. J. H. Osborn) on 29th February.—[Vol. 832, c. 90–1.]
§ Mr. SteelIs the hon. Gentleman aware that this matter has been handled most clumsily by his Department, and that persons who bought motor cycles and who had perfectly valid licences issued to them before the end of last 1496 year are entitled to be compensated, not only for the loss in terms of the value of the machine but in terms of the loss incurred in the use of the machine, which makes this amount to retrospective legislation?
§ Mr. GriffithsWe have announced that claims for unavoidable losses will be considered. What precisely constitutes an unavoidable loss will, of course, vary from one case to another, but I am sure that my Department will give sympathetic consideration to any matter.
§ Mr. MulleyWill the Minister ensure that the Department gives a great deal of publicity to this issue, remembering that a lot of young people suffered loss as a result of the ill-considered introduction of these regulations just before Christmas, without prior warning? May we have an assurance that at the end of this operation the House will be told how much this ill-considered decision cost the taxpayer?
§ Mr. GriffithsI do not accept that a decision which seeks to save young lives by preventing people from obtaining licences to drive motor cycles at an age when they are likely to be injured can be described as ill-considered. I shall, of course, see that the House is advised of the appropriate cost of meeting unavoidable losses.