HC Deb 23 November 1989 vol 162 cc14-5W
Mr. Hayward

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress in implementing proposals contained in the White Paper "The Road User and the Law".

Mr. Atkins

Many of the proposals announced in the White Paper "The Road User and the Law" (Cm 576) will require legislation. This will be brought forward as soon as time is available.

The further consultation outlined in the White Paper on the details of the legislative changes and administrative arrangements for key proposals is well advanced. Copies of the papers on driver retesting, vehicle prohibition and the use of technology for enforcement have been placed in the Library.

The White Paper also identified a number of areas where action can be taken to improve the operation of the road traffic legal system without any change in the law. Further discussions are planned, in particular with the police and other interested organisations, on how these proposals are being taken forward. A number of projects have been added to our research programme to follow up those aspects of the North report which require further research.

Powers were taken in the Road Traffic (Driver Licensing and Information System) Act 1989 to enable the scope of the high risk offenders scheme, which deals with drivers whose dependence on alcohol presents a serious road safety risk, to be extended. Regulations will be introduced to enable the extended scheme to commence in 1990.

One of the key problems identified in the North report was the public concern about the inadequacy of penalties imposed by the courts for the most serious bad driving offences. Under powers introduced in the Criminal Justice Act 1988, the Appeal Court has recently decided to increase the sentences of two drivers convicted of causing death by reckless driving to include a period of imprisonment to reflect the very serious nature of the behaviour involved.

We welcome the announcement by the Magistrates Association of its intention to produce guidelines for sentencing road traffic offenders designed to achieve greater consistency in sentencing.

We aim to strike the right balance between the need to come down hard on those who commit the more serious road traffic offences while acknowledging the scope for use of alternatives to prosecution for minor offences which are designed to educate drivers about the need for safer and more responsible conduct on the road.