§ Mr. Gouldasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that, in the case of payments made under the untraced drivers agreement he entered into with the Motor Insurers' Bureau interest is paid to applicants on any sum paid to them.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerNo. The agreement means that people injured by unidentified drivers are able to claim compensation from the Motor Insurers' Bureau, when otherwise they would have no redress. But the bureau is not the guilty party. Its need to investigate before offering to settle does not parallel a driver's decision to contest a claim in court, from which the payment of interest stems. 277W I am satisfied that the bureau's practice strikes a reasonable balance between claimants and the insured motorists who finance the bureau through their premiums.