§ 10. Mr. Chapmanasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will report progress on negotiations on details of the proposed European Community directive on motor insurance, following the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 26 October.
§ Mrs. ChalkerThere was a further meeting of the Council of Ministers on 25 November. A substantial measure of agreement has been achieved on outstanding problems, and compromise solutions are being considered urgently in respect of two remaining points of difference.
§ Mr. ChapmanI hope that the negotiations will be speedily concluded, but will my hon. Friend confirm that the Government agree that all motorists involved in an accident should be required to give the appropriate details to the insurance company, as opposed to the present situation, in which only motorists involved in a personal injury accident are required to do so?
§ Mrs. ChalkerThe real solution to the problem that my hon. Friend outlined is to extend to property damage the safeguards in the Road Traffic Act that already apply in respect of personal injury. They oblige motorists to be insured against liability for personal injury and to provide details of their insurance cover when involved in an accident when there is personal injury. The insurer is obliged to satisfy any judgment against his policy holder, whether or not he has reported the accident to the insurer. It would be wrong to have a statutory requirement of notification, as there can be one only if there is insurance for property damage in the first place.