The announcement of a ‘snap general election’ on 8 June has dominated the news this week, but how these events will impact the planned Personal Injury Reforms, remains to be seen.
The announcement yesterday in Parliament that the Prisons and Courts Bill - which includes amongst other items, the so-called ‘whiplash reforms’ - did not make it through the final rush of legislation ahead of parliament being dissolved. This will undoubtedly mean a delay in the implementation of any reforms, perhaps until April 2019, at the earliest.
But it does not mean such plans are shelved completely. The Government has made it very clear that it intends to reintroduce the bill at a later date, and no doubt insurers – who have lobbied the Westminster extensively on the issue - will continue to push the Government on this hotly debated subject.
However this does afford all concerned some breathing space and an opportunity to come together, collaboratively, with the aim of producing a compromise, palatable to all involved. This might avoid the need to invoke major legislative changes, but ensure the protection of the rights of the genuinely injured.
And of course, the more time there is available to consider, debate and amend this proposed legislation and changes, the less likely we are to be left with a law which has a detrimental effect on vulnerable people.
However much longer we may now have as a result of this impending general election, Stephensons will continue to lobby MPs, to explain the wide ranging implications to the public and to push for the consideration of an alternative to that which has been suggested in the legislation.
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