§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce legislation to extend police powers of arrest over hit-and-run drivers; and what other measures he plans to take in respect of hit-and-run drivers. [718]
§ Mr. MichaelThe Government intend to make failure to stop after a road accident involving personal injury an arrestable offence. Primary legislation will be brought forward at the earliest opportunity. No other measures are planned.
§ Mr. VazTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of successful arrests of hit-and-run drivers have been recorded in each of the last 12 months. [719]
§ Mr. MichaelThe information requested is not collected centrally. Information on arrests is not held centrally at the level of detail needed to isolate particular offences. Nor can hit-and-run drivers be identified in the statistics of motoring offence prosecutions, as they will form only part of those offences classified as failing to stop or report an accident (i.e. where personal injury is caused).