§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has made of the number of motorists who are uninsured; how many accidents took place in the last three years where the culpable driver was uninsured; and what plans he has to increase insurance holidays. [40710]
§ Mr. NorrisIndustry estimates are that 4 to 6 per cent. of motorists are uninsured, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development has supported an estimate at the top of this range. Information on the insurance status of motorists involved in accidents is not collected; the Motor Insurers Bureau handled 39,000 cases on average in each of the last three years under the uninsured drivers agreement, although in a significant proportion of such cases insurance cover is subsequently shown to have been in place. A number of possible measures for tackling the problem of insurance evasion are currently being considered by my Department and the other interested parties such as the police and the insurance industry. In addition, measures aimed at reducing evasion of vehicle excise duty, such as the introduction of wheelclamping, are expected to have a beneficial effect on compliance with compulsory insurance requirements.