§ 2. Bob Russell (Colchester) (LD)What the estimated cost to the national health service was of treating those injured in road crashes in the last year for which figures are available. [177286]
§ The Minister of State, Department of Health (Mr. John Hutton)The national health service has not been asked to identify separately the costs of treating road traffic accident victims. However, where such a patient receives compensation the NHS can reclaim the treatment cost from insurers. Last year, £105 million was recovered for the national health service in that way.
§ Bob RussellWhile I am grateful to the Minister for that partial answer, in the interests of joined-up government, might it be worth while trying to establish exactly how much the public purse is funding the consequences of road crashes? May I also suggest that he discuss with his colleagues in the Department for Transport and with the Chancellor the Exchequer how investing in making road safety a top priority might lead to a reduction in the burden that road crashes and casualties taken to accident and emergency departments place on the NHS?
§ Mr. HuttonWe will certainly look at the hon. Gentleman's suggestion, although we need to strike the appropriate balance between that point and avoiding imposing additional bureaucracy and burdens on the national health service. The Government and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport are committed to reducing the number of road accident events and, in fact, the number of such events is falling.
§ Lawrie Quinn (Scarborough and Whitby) (Lab)My right hon. Friend will probably be aware of the large number of accidents that involve motor cyclists. That is a particular problem in my constituency, which has beautiful countryside where boy racers and others perhaps somewhat older do not exercise good behaviour on the roads. Has his Department discussed the matter with the insurance industry to try to improve motoring standards? It could be argued that that is a primary health care issue because, if motorists—particularly motor cyclists—behaved themselves in the first place,they would not end up in hospital.
§ Mr. HuttonIt is very important that the Government do what they can to improve safety on our roads. My 130 right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is fully committed to doing that and we in the national health service will do whatever we can to support the work that he is undertaking.
§ Mr. Simon Thomas (Ceredigion) (PC)The Minister mentioned compensation and repayments to the NHS in such cases, but what consideration are the Government giving to repayments to the NHS in cases of proven negligence—for example, when it is proven that a person has wilfully ignored a speed limit and a crash has resulted? Is there a way of claiming the money back from such individuals or their insurance companies, or—even better—of extending such a scheme to those who assist and promote the denigration of speed limits?
§ Mr. HuttonIf an accident results in injury to an individual and the NHS provides treatment for that individual, statutory provision exists to allow the NHS to recover the costs. We have recently legislated to extend the scope of that scheme to include other types of injuries.