The lucrative gravy train in fees paid by predatory ambulance-chasing lawyers to insurance companies for the names of those involved in accidents is to be derailed by the government. The system feeds and encourages the unhealthy compensation culture and puts up insurance premiums, the subject of a current Office of Fair Trading (OFT) Investigation.

Sadly our police forces are setting a bad example in this regard, earning millions of pounds from passing on details of cars involved in accidents to breakdown firms to milk a fee, an equally unsavoury arrangement our government is happy to allow to continue.