§ Andy BurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents there were in each region of England in each of the last five years involving a driver or drivers who were uninsured; and what1376W percentage of those accidents involved (a) third party personal injury and (b) third party property damage. [148739]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 21 January 2004]: Information on the insurance status of drivers involved in accidents is not held centrally in my department.
However, the Motor Insurers' Bureau (Mffi) holds figures for accident claims in the United Kingdom involving uninsured or untraced drivers. For the past five years, the MIB paid claims as follows:
£ million 1999 173 2000 213 2001 222 2002 214 2003 235
§ Andy BurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the overall cost to public funds in the latest year for which figures are available of driving without adequate insurance cover. [148741]
§ Mr. Jamieson[holding answer 21 January 2004]: Information on the overall cost to public funds of driving without adequate insurance cover is not held centrally.
The main costs of uninsured driving will be the substantial ones arising from accidents involving uninsured drivers. In the public sector these costs will fall on the emergency services (police, fire, ambulance and hospitals). Costs will also fall on the victims, and (through increased insurance premiums) on the honest, insured motorist. The estimated cost to the honest motoristsl insurance premium is an average of £30.
There will also be a cost to the Courts Service arising from the need to prosecute and to enforce fines and penalties.