Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Jones Excerpts

Tuesday 17th December 2013 Commons Chamber

[Damian Green]

The Government have left in place all the exemptions in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 to ensure that the most vulnerable continue to receive legal aid. Beyond that, we have ring-fenced nearly £40 million for specialist local domestic and sexual violence support services. That, together with specialist domestic violence courts, provides a better specialist way of dealing with this terrible abuse.

[Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (Con)]

17. What steps he is taking to tackle rogue payment protection insurance claim companies and nuisance calling by those companies.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice (Mr Shailesh Vara)]

Our priority is to protect the public by rooting out and punishing bad practices by claims companies. The claims management regulator is expanding its resources and consulting on a new set of toughened rules to crackdown on abuses, and later next year claims companies will face fines for rule breaches.

[Andrew Jones]

I thank the Minister for that reply. Given that so many rogue companies have been plaguing constituents, what effect have the Government’s actions had on the number of claims firms?

[Mr Vara]

I am happy to say that there has been a positive impact on the numbers. Between January and November 2013, the total number of authorised claims management companies decreased by 718; the total number of personal injury claims management companies fell by 917; and the total number of PPI claims management companies fell by 85. That is clear evidence that the Government’s tough measures are having an impact.