Ministers plan to add a £5 surcharge to speeding fines, to finance support schemes for victims of crime.

The surcharge would also be imposed for other fixed-penalty offences, such as drunkenness or making hoax 999 calls.

More serious offences would attract a higher penalty. The surcharges in the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme are expected to raise up to £25 million, which would be used to set up a new victims' fund.

The cash would be given to local support groups and finance schemes such as phone helplines.

"We want compensation to victims to be targeted in the right way, and to come from the most appropriate sources. With these proposals we want to look at the perpetrators as well as the state," home secretary David Blunkett said yesterday.

The scheme did not win the backing of the Conservatives.

"This counter-productive scheme will penalise minor traffic offenders who have nothing to do with bringing misery to the victims of serious crimes and will let off those who have caused pain and suffering. The real criminals will be laughing all the way to the bank," said shadow home secretary David Davis.