Road Safety Bill [HL]

Once again, if one listens long enough one gets the answers to all the questions. I am grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Bradshaw, although I imagine that switching off the air-conditioning system is likely to be more effective at this time of the year than on others. However, the answer to the main question that has been put in our debate is that we want to treat all road users the same   when hazardous or dangerous offences are committed. It does not matter where a person comes from. The issue is that an offence has been committed and we want to ensure that a punishment is dealt so as to improve driving behaviour. That is the whole point of this legislation. So the answer is yes. The vehicle examiners and the police will be able to take the deposit in cash on the spot. It will not work any other way, and that is the intention. The amendments would restrict that to only those who were registered abroad. We want everyone to have the same treatment. We recognise that there are difficulties with drivers from abroad, for all the reasons that have been clearly enunciated and defined in this debate. It can be difficult to trace people’s temporary address in this country, or they can blissfully ignore the penalties once they are on the other side of the Channel where it is more easy to evade them. We want to make sure that we deal properly with offences. We intend to be quite clear about the action to be taken. If the address is not satisfactory, according to the enforcement agency, then a deposit will be required. I am sure that we all recognise the fairness of that. We are working on the principle which is expected from all our fellow citizens—that people who commit offences are treated in the same way for the offence, irrespective of where they reside. We intend to ensure that if there is uncertainty about the residence and the officer concerned is not sure that he would be able to pursue the case further effectively on the basis of the evidence submitted, cash will have to change hands as a deposit against that eventuality. On that basis, I hope that the noble Baroness will feel able to withdraw the amendment.