Jack Straw has secured a Parliamentary debate to take forward his crusade to ban referral fees and revamp the guidelines surrounding whiplash damages.
The former justice secretary has secured leave for a ten minute rule bill debate to debate a clampdown on the controversial practice in the House of Commons next month. The debate will take place on September 13th, the first day that Parliament returns following its summer break.
Straw will use the debate to apply for leave to “bring in a bill to reform the regulation and operation of the market in motor insurance; and specifically, to ban the payment of referral fees; to establish new standards relating to the evidence required and damages payable for whiplash; to reform the regulation of the Ministry of Justice’s RTA portal; to set requirement in respect of risk pricing for personal injury claims, and for related purposes.”
Ten minute rule debates can be a mechanism for backbench MPs, like Straw, to introduce private members bills. However, because Parliamentary procedures mean that it is difficult for such bills to become legislation, they are usually a device for MPs to secure publicity for an issue they are concerned about.
Straw’s success in securing a ten minute rule bill debate follows Bar Council chairman Peter Lodder’s comment that referral fees are “bribes”.
