Road Safety Bill [HL]

moved Amendment No. 15:"Page 2, line 28, leave out from ““as”” to end of line 41 and insert ““set out in Schedule (Graduated penalties)””" The noble Lord said: This amendment deals with the same topic and we undoubtedly will have a similar debate. It seeks to shine further light on how the system might work. Amendment No. 15 introduces a new schedule that would specify in the Bill the graduated penalties that would apply to speeding. I stress at the outset that I have tabled the amendments not necessarily because I believe in these figures, as I said, but to take forward our previous debate. Neither would I say that the penalties specified are correct. However, the amendments will allow us to debate further the issue of where we should set the penalties. As it stands, we will learn later, in secondary legislation, how the graduated penalty system will apply. As everyone knows, I am not a fan of such legislation—which is why I believe we should debate the issue today. I agree that the subject is entirely controversial. As we have heard, there are many different and sincerely held views on it. However, we have a chance with this primary legislation to discuss the issue and what the Bill should provide—what we as parliamentarians collectively think are the right answers about graduated penalties. My view, subject to any arguments put forward by the Committee, is that the Government have started on the right lines. However, by tabling this schedule and these amendments I wanted to start a debate on   graduated penalties and seek the Committee’s agreement, after proper discussion, that it is desirable to include such penalties in the Bill rather than deferring the matter to some point in the future when we have the secondary legislation. I think that flexibility is the key to a successful system. There is an admission of the need for flexibility, as we have discussed. Regardless of whether that is achieved by order or through this amendment as well as graded penalty points, I should welcome an approach that indicated that there will be a clear difference between an offence that attracts six penalty points and one that attracts two points. That is what I am trying to get out of this debate. I should like to establish what should attract six penalty points and what should attract two. I should welcome any further information that the Minister can give us about where each limit will be set and what fine it will attract. The amendment deals with an interesting and important issue. I hope that the Minister can inform us of the Government’s current thinking on it. I beg to move.