Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Helen Grant and Julian Brazier

Tuesday 2nd July 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Grant]

The hon. Lady has got it absolutely wrong. We know that the Government, the insurance industry and claimant lawyers must all work to tackle fraud, because it is completely unacceptable. We fully expect the industry to pass on the considerable savings that it will make to the public in the form of reduced insurance premiums.

[Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury) (Con)]

Having suffered a severe whiplash injury after someone shunted my vehicle many years ago, I have great sympathy for genuine victims, but there is widespread evidence that gangs have moved into what they see as a profitable business, generating deliberately fraudulent claims, and that that is driving up premiums for ordinary motorists.

[Mrs Grant]

I agree. Unfortunately, a compensation culture was allowed to develop under the last Government, and we are having to deal with it now. Our reforms will ensure that meritorious claims will always be possible, while also ensuring that unnecessary claims are avoided.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Helen Grant and Julian Brazier

Tuesday 21st May 2013 Commons Chamber

[Mr Julian Brazier (Canterbury) (Con)]

In welcoming my hon. Friend’s remarks, may I urge her to look at other, wider areas where judicial review might be considered to some extent to be supplanting Parliament by interfering with the answerability of Government? I am thinking of some immigration tribunals and areas of the benefits system, where judicial review has been misused.

[Mrs Grant]

This is an area that we will keep under review. I am very happy to take sensible suggestions from my hon. Friend.