§ Bob RussellTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proposals he has to assist victims of road crashes caused by drivers who are not insured; and if he will make a statement. [22713]
§ Mr. JamiesonThe Motor Insurers' Bureau pays compensation from a guarantee fund to victims of uninsured and untraced drivers under long-standing agreements with Government. Motor insurers fund the Bureau pro rata to the amount of insurance they sell.
§ Pete WishartTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of uninsured drivers using the roads; and what plans he has to reduce this number. [22769]
§ Mr. JamiesonIt is estimated that between 4 per cent. and 6 per cent. of motorists drive while uninsured, an offence for which 300,140 people were convicted and more than 28,000 were disqualified during 1999. The motor insurers' recently established Motor Insurance Database will lead to a significant reduction in uninsured driving as police are now able to query insurance details immediately from the roadside. Police inquiries to the database are running at 22,000 a day.