To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will compensate drivers who have been erroneously (a) fined and (b) charged with speeding on the evidence of illegally operating speed cameras. (171172)

I have been asked to reply.

Whether or not a person is properly convicted is a matter for the courts. If a person believes his/her conviction should not stand, they should consider whether to appeal to the appropriate appellate court. There is a compensation scheme in place for those who appeal successfully, but this only applies in certain very narrowly-defined circumstances.

Under section 133 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Mr. Straw) will pay compensation where an applicant has a criminal conviction quashed at an out of time appeal on the basis of a new or newly discovered fact that shows beyond reasonable doubt that there has been a miscarriage of justice, unless the non-disclosure of the unknown fact was wholly or partly attributable to the convicted person. Every application is considered on its merits.

The Secretary of State and Lord Chancellor would decide whether an applicant is eligible for compensation and if he approved compensation the independent assessor would decide on the amount of compensation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of driving licences which have been disqualified as a result of points being issued on the evidence of illegally operating speed cameras in the last period for which figures are available. (171173)

I have been asked to reply.

Information on driving licence disqualifications through totting up of penalty points does not include details of the circumstances giving rise to the endorsements of points on the licence.