§ Lord Braine of Wheatleyasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many (a) males and (b) females have been (i) charged and (ii) convicted of carrying a child unrestrained on the front seat of a motor vehicle, for each of the last three years for which figures are available.
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Blatch)The information collected centrally in England and Wales does not distinguish between the various seat belt offences.
The following table shows the number of proceedings and resulting convictions in England and Wales for all offences of driving or riding in a motor vehicle while not wearing a seat belt, showing also the sex of the offender:
44WA
Proceedings and convictions in Northern Ireland for driving or riding in a motor vehicle while not wearing a seat belt Proceedings Convictions All seat belt offences Children in front seat All seat belt offences Children in front seat Males Females Males Females Males Females Males Females 1993 759 61 17 8 704 57 16 7 1994 568 57 26 7 527 53 21 7 1995 519 56 18 5 493 47 17 4
Proceedings and convictions in England and Wales for driving or riding in a motor vehicle while not wearing a seat belt Proceedings Convictions Males Females Males Females 1993 8,796 883 6,405 670 1994 7,959 747 5,977 611 1995 7,807 758 5,958 611 The police are also able to issue fixed penalty notices for seat belt offences, and the following table shows the number of such notices issued in England and Wales. Again, no distinction between the various seat belt offences is possible, nor is a breakdown by sex available.
Fixed penalty notices issued in England and Wales for driving or riding in a vehicle while not wearing a seat belt Year Number 1993 106,153 1994 114,712 1995 126,251 Information collected centrally in Scotland does not enable a distinction to be made between the various seat belt offences, nor are statistics for 1995 yet available, but the following table shows the number of proceedings taken in court and the resultant charges proved for the years 1992–94:
Proceedings and charges proved in Scotland for driving or riding in a motor vehicle while not wearing a seat belt Proceedings Charges proved Males Females Males Females 1992 2,424 265 2,214 250 1993 3,210 370 2,951 354 1994 3,674 348 3,457 336 The number of fixed penalties issued for seat belt offences in Scotland is not available centrally.
Information in relation to Northern Ireland is available to show proceedings and convictions for the offence of a child being carried unrestrained on the front seat of a motor vehicle. These and figures for all seat belt offences are as follows:
45WAFixed penalty notices issued in Northern Ireland for driving or riding a vehicle while not wearing a seat belt are as follows:
Fixed penalty notices issued in Northern Ireland for driving or riding in a vehicle while not wearing a seat belt All seat belt offences Children in front seat 1993 4,579 281 1994 4,997 212 1995 4,979 274