MISCELLANEOUS SUMMARY OFFENCES (Hansard, 20 June 1984)

§ Mr. David Marshall
I shall briefly ask the Minister some questions in relation to the clause. The penalty for committing an offence under subsection (2) is that for a level 2 offence, and carries a maximum fine of £100. However, sections 148(c) and 161(1) of the Highways Act 1980, on which the provisions are based, carry a level 3 fine of a maximum £400 fine. Why is there such a discrepancy?
Unlike section 161(1) of the 1980 Act, this subsection does not refer expressly to injury to road users. What is the reason for that omission? Can the Minister tell us any of the Government's further views on abating or removing the obstructions, as per the undertaking given by the Lord Advocate in the other place on 29 March? Finally, does subsection (5) mean the introduction of a blanket ban on parking on footpaths, footways and verges? If so, is it necessary? Will it not be very expensive? Is it possible or desirable to enforce it?

§ Mr. Ancram
The hon. Gentleman asked a welter of questions, and I did not have time to note them all. I realise that they are important, and that he will wish to know the answers before Report. Perhaps he will allow me to write to him.

§ Mr. Maxton
I should like to ask the Minister why road traffic offences are included in a Bill about roads, and not in a Bill about road traffic offences.

§ Mr. Ancram
I am not sure what the hon. Gentleman is suggesting. If he believes that the Bill has been improperly drafted, he should have taken up the matter another time.

§ Mr. Maxton
Some of the amendments that I tabled were ruled out of order because they were considered to cover road traffic offences, not roads, yet in the Bill there are items concerned with road traffic offences.

§ Mr. Home Robertson
Is that not a point of order?

The Chairman
Order. I do not know whether the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Maxton) was raising that matter with me. I doubt that he was.