TRANSPORT Secretary Alistair Darling today pledged to toughen laws on uninsured drivers in memory of tragic 12-year-old Amy Houston.

Mr Darling made his pledge as Amy's father, Accrington man Paul Houston revealed he had written to Tony Blair in a bid to get laws introduced with tougher sentences for uninsured drivers.

Amy, who lived with her mother, Joanne Cocker, in Ravenglass Close, Blackburn, was killed when hit by a car driven by uninsured failed asylum seeker Aso Mohammed Ibrahim in nearby Newfield Drive.

Ibrahim, who was also disqualified from driving, received a four-month jail term for driving without insurance and while disqualified. But no charge relating to Amy's death was brought, which angered Mr Houston so much that he launched a campaign for a new law.

He wants any driver uninsured or disqualified to be prosecuted for any accident they are involved in, arguing that there is a reason why they neither have insurance or a licence.

That campaign has already gone to Westminster via Hyndburn MP Greg Pope, where it has been dubbed Amy's Law and has the support of more than 100 MPs.

Mr Darling, speaking to the Evening Telegraph, said: "The government is committed to tackling the menace of uninsured driving.

"While it is for courts to determine the sentence in individual cases, the government is determined to do all it can to ensure that dangerous driver who kill are properly punished.

"That's why we have increased the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving from 10 to 14 years imprisonment.

"We are currently consulting on giving the police powers to seize vehicles being used by uninsured drivers. "Getting these vehicles off the road will improve road safety for everyone "The Road Safety Bill will also clamp down on uninsured drivers by allowing better use of the motor insurance database and Automatic Numberplate Recognition Technology.

"The Home Office is conducting a review of traffic offences for dangerous drivers.

"This will help drive forward our future plans to tackle this issue."

Mr Houston, who lives in Russia Street, added: "This is good, but I have written to Tony Blair to say that unless people know they will be prosecuted for causing death if they are involved in an accident where someone dies when they shouldn't be behind the wheel, it won't stop anyone."