§ Mr. Howeasked the Minister of Transport (1) whether he will make a statement on the progress of discussions between his Department, the Motor Insurers' Bureau and the motor insurance companies with a view to securing improvement and extension of the agreements of 1946; and whether such discussions are intended to lead to an extension of the agreement so as to ensure full compensation as of right for persons injured by unidentified or hit-and-run drivers on the lines suggested by several of Her Majesty's judges;
(2) why it would not be in accord with the policy of the Road Traffic Acts to 150W secure full compensation for third parties injured in highway accidents for the 1946 agreements with the Motor Insurers' Bureau to be amended so as to enable the Bureau itself to be joined in, to defend and, if so found, to be liable in proceedings by an injured person against an unidentified or hit-and-run motorist in the same way as the personal representatives, and so the insurers, of a deceased motorist can be joined and, if appropriate, found liable to pay to the injured person the compensation found by the courts to be just and equitable.
§ Mr. SwinglerDiscussions are proceeding with Motor Insurers' Bureau on the possibility of extending the 1946 Agreement to cover cases involving unidentified drivers which are dealt with at present by the Bureau on anex gratin basis under Note 6 attached to the Agreement. I hope that it will be possible to bring these discussions to a satisfactory conclusion, but this is a complex matter and the stage has not been reached when it would be appropriate to make a statement.
The point raised in the hon. Member's second Question is under consideration in these discussions.