Fatal Accidents (Roads) (Hansard, 22 April 1996)

§ 6. Mr. Jacques Arnold
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the latest figures for fatal accidents on roads in England and Wales. [24721]

§ The Minister for Transport in London (Mr. Steve Norris)
The provisional figures for 1995 are among the lowest since records began. They show that 3, 319 fatal accidents caused 3, 665 deaths in Great Britain as a whole.

§ Mr. Arnold
Nevertheless, my hon. Friend will know that a number of those fatal accidents recently occurred on the stretch of the A2 opposite Gravesend. I thank him for commissioning, in response to my representations, a study of safety on that stretch of road to be carried out by Kent county council, our local highway authority. When can we expect a report?

§ Mr. Norris
As my hon. Friend says, he advised me of his particular interest in the A2 scheme in Kent. The Highways Agency is discussing the scope of that study with Kent county council, which is our agent. Although the scheme is dependent on funding, we still expect it to go ahead this financial year.

§ Mr. Miller
Will the Minister join me in congratulating the Law Commission on its recent report on involuntary manslaughter in so far as it affects death on the road? When can we expect some primary legislation to bring about the important changes that are needed to deal with that difficult area of law?

§ Mr. Norris
No, I will not join him in that because I do not think that it would be reasonable to do so before we have a chance to study the report. We acknowledge the hon. Gentleman's genuine interest in the matter. We also accept that penalties across the whole range of traffic offences have their place in discouraging inappropriate behaviour. As the hon. Gentleman will know, we have to bear in mind that if unduly severe penalties are related to specific traffic infringements, one of the dangers is that the courts will not press those charges for fear that there might be acquittal. We welcome the report, we shall certainly look at it and we shall come forward with our findings on it in due course.