Transport Act 1982: Fixed Penalties (Hansard, 10 December 1984)

§ Lord Underhill
My Lords. I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, as my right honourable friend the Home Secretary announced in February, it is our intention to implement Part III of the Act by April 1986. Guidance to chief officers of police about its operation and information for magistrates courts have been issued in Home Office circulars. A seminar about its provisions has been held for senior police officers and trials of a fixed penalty notice for endorsable offences for use by all forces are taking place.

§ Lord Underhill
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that Answer. Does she recall that when an amendment to the Transport Act 1982 was before your Lordships' House I quoted from the booklets issued by the Home Office for 1979–80? Is she aware that in subsequent correspondence with Ministers I referred to the Home Office booklets of 1981 and 1982? Is she further aware that the Home Office booklet for 1983 has been published only in the last few weeks and that there is very little change whatever 9 in the shocking disparities in practice between one police force area and another? As the amendment which was put into the Transport Act states that the Secretary of State should give guidance in working towards uniformity, could this not be done quickly? Is it not shocking that one might have a great deal of fixed penalty offences in one area but in others none at all, depending on which police area one lives in?

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, we recognise that there are sometimes wide differences and that they are not desirable. However, the extent to which fixed penalties are used by police forces under the present system remains a matter for chief constables. We are working to implement the new system as quickly and effectively as possible on a basis which will remove the present differences.