§ Mr. David Youngasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to amend the law so that fixed rates of fine for identical motoring offences are imposed by all courts; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MellorI have been asked to reply.
Fixed penalties may already be offered as an alternative to prosecution for a number of motoring offences and this system was extended by part III of the Transport Act 1982, which will be implemented by April 1986. But where a prosecuted is brought and a defendant is convicted, the court should be free, within the statutory maxima, to impose a penalty which takes account of the particular circumstances of the individual offence and offender.