§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Minister of Transport whether she is aware that whereas the maximum penalty for evasion of payment of the road fund licence is £175, most courts award penalties of a small or nominal character, even where the culprit is guilty of a continuing offence; and whether she will seek to amend the law so as to impose a fixed minimum penalty for such offences.
§ Mr. SwinglerThe penalty prescribed is three times the annual duty chargeable or £20 whichever is greater. My right hon. Friend is aware that Courts exercise their powers of mitigation, but she has no control over this. A fixed minimum penalty would not be appropriate in a situation where the duty payable can range from £2 per annum for a small motor cycle to over £300 for the larger lorries.