11. Mrs. Slaterasked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the small fines usually imposed on road hauliers who force their drivers into working excessive hours, which frequently result in the falsifying of log books; and if he will introduce legislation to increase the minimum fine that may be imposed.
§ Mr. MarplesMaximum, but not minimum, penalties for hours and records offences are laid down by statute. Within those maxima, the courts decide what is fitting in individual cases. I do not think I should be justified in seeking, contrary to modern practice, to prescribe a minimum fine or term of imprisonment.
Mrs. SlaterMay I thank the right hon. Gentleman for the very adequate reply on this problem which he sent to me yesterday? Is he not also aware that, while large fines have been imposed upon some of the firms he mentioned and some licences have been withdrawn, large numbers of firms in this country are escaping with very small fines, which 225 they do not mind at all because they can make the profit through longer hours and the greater amount of material carried? Does he not think that he should do something about this, either through publicity or by fixing a minimum fine?
§ Mr. MarplesIt is preferable that the courts should be free to grade the penalties according to the circumstances of each particular case. I ask the hon. Lady to think of this point. If the minimum fine was fixed too high, the tendency would be, if someone thought it was excessively high, to find the person not guilty.
§ Mr. Speaker; Dame Irene Ward.
§ Dame Irene WardQuestion No. 12, Sir.
§ Mr. Strauss rose—
§ Mr. SpeakerI did not see the right hon. Gentleman in time. I regret that, but I have called the next Question.
| FATAL CASUALTIES AT EASTER TIME: PROVISIONAL FIGURES | ||||||
| Day | England and Wales | Scotland | Great Britain | |||
| 1960 | 1961 | 1960 | 1961 | 1961 | ||
| Thursday | … | 11 | 19 | — | 1 | 20 |
| Good Friday | … | 22 | 18 | — | 4 | 22 |
| Saturday | … | 25 | 16 | — | 3 | 19 |
| Sunday | … | 15 | 11 | — | 2 | 13 |
| Easter Monday | … | 14 | 12 | — | — | 12 |
| TOTAL | … | 87 | 76 | — | 10 | 86 |
| NOTE—Figures for Scotland for Easter, 1960 are not available. |