MPs to review Government action on whiplash
5 November 2013
Terms of reference and call for evidence
The Transport Select Committee is calling for written evidence on the measures set out by the Government to reduce the number and cost of whiplash claims. The Committee intends to scrutinise the implementation of independent medical panels to support the diagnosis of whiplash and examine whether there is more the Government could do to reduce the cost and number of exaggerated or fraudulent claims.
The Committee would welcome comments on the Government’s Command Paper Reducing the number and costs of whiplash claims as well as on any other measures which should be taken to reduce the number and cost of whiplash claims. Written submissions should be received by Friday 13 December. The Committee does not intend to hear any further oral evidence on this issue but may issue a further report, in early 2014.
The Government’s Command Paper includes a response to the Committee’s recent report Cost of motor insurance: whiplash (PDF 1.65 MB). However, a number of recommendations have not yet been answered satisfactorily by the Ministry of Justice. The Committee is today publishing a letter to the Secretary of State for Justice asking for those recommendations to be properly addressed.
The Committee’s Report will be debated in Westminster Hall on Thursday 7 November. The debate will start at around 3.30pm and last for around one hour.
Committee Chair, Louise Ellman MP, said:
“We have made recommendations about how the Government can get the cost of motor insurance down, including by tackling bogus whiplash claims, while protecting access to justice for genuine claimants. Many of these recommendations have been accepted and we will continue to scrutinise how they are implemented”.
As part of a scheme to encourage paperless working and maximise efficiency, the Committee is using a new web portal for online submissions of written evidence. Written submissions for this inquiry should therefore be sent via the Transport Committee website - Please click the link here: The cost of motor insurance: whiplash