: I hope it will be a helpful intervention if I suggest that sleep disorders are the sort of thing that the road accidents investigation board, which could form part of the Bill, could investigate.

: I hope it will be a helpful intervention if I suggest that sleep disorders are the sort of thing that the road accidents investigation board, which could form part of the Bill, could investigate.

As the hon. Member for Glasgow, South (Mr. Harris) has said, the debate has been consensual, and party politics should not divide us in this policy area. I will focus on one specific area in the hope that the Minister will see fit to table amendments to deal with a...

As the hon. Member for Glasgow, South (Mr. Harris) has said, the debate has been consensual, and party politics should not divide us in this policy area. I will focus on one specific area in the hope that the Minister will see fit to table amendments to deal with a...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on her work as chair of the all-party group on sleep disorders. This is an important issue. Does she agree that many drivers would hesitate to report the fact that they suffered from drowsiness because they would be afraid of losing their licence? They are...

I congratulate my hon. Friend on her work as chair of the all-party group on sleep disorders. This is an important issue. Does she agree that many drivers would hesitate to report the fact that they suffered from drowsiness because they would be afraid of losing their licence? They are...

That brings me to another point. I do not think that most drivers would respond in such a way. Personally, I do not believe that speed cameras should be visible from the road. Having speed cameras aimed at catching lawbreakers but painting them black and yellow—there are lines on the...

That brings me to another point. I do not think that most drivers would respond in such a way. Personally, I do not believe that speed cameras should be visible from the road. Having speed cameras aimed at catching lawbreakers but painting them black and yellow—there are lines on the...

I shall give my hon. Friend the clarification that he seeks now. The Bill is intended to make legal devices that simply tell people where the cameras to which he refers are. In addition, however, a covert activity of speed detection is carried out by the police using radars. What...

I shall give my hon. Friend the clarification that he seeks now. The Bill is intended to make legal devices that simply tell people where the cameras to which he refers are. In addition, however, a covert activity of speed detection is carried out by the police using radars. What...

When the Secretary of State opened the debate he pointed out that the national road safety figures were improving, which is welcome—but unfortunately, in my constituency they are doing anything but that. Last year there were 20 road fatalities—about four times the national average—and this year, sadly, there have already...

When the Secretary of State opened the debate he pointed out that the national road safety figures were improving, which is welcome—but unfortunately, in my constituency they are doing anything but that. Last year there were 20 road fatalities—about four times the national average—and this year, sadly, there have already...

The hon. Gentleman is right to suggest that we should target certain age groups with certain messages. The increasing prevalence of accidents among born-again bikers is often overlooked. They acquire very fast machines in middle age, and late middle age. A road in my constituency, between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Rempstone, is...

The hon. Gentleman is right to suggest that we should target certain age groups with certain messages. The increasing prevalence of accidents among born-again bikers is often overlooked. They acquire very fast machines in middle age, and late middle age. A road in my constituency, between Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Rempstone, is...

My point was not exclusive, but the statistics show a notable prevalence of casualties and convictions for dangerous driving among younger people. In my constituency last year, a significant number of such drivers were young. The hon. Gentleman makes a good point, however. All drivers need to think about the...

My point was not exclusive, but the statistics show a notable prevalence of casualties and convictions for dangerous driving among younger people. In my constituency last year, a significant number of such drivers were young. The hon. Gentleman makes a good point, however. All drivers need to think about the...

I should make it absolutely clear that the circumstances that the hon. Gentleman is describing would not generate a charge of causing death by careless driving, because such behaviour simply is not careless. Let us not create constructs that lead us to criticise this legislation for the wrong reasons.

I should make it absolutely clear that the circumstances that the hon. Gentleman is describing would not generate a charge of causing death by careless driving, because such behaviour simply is not careless. Let us not create constructs that lead us to criticise this legislation for the wrong reasons.

I thank the Minister for that intervention, and I do not want to make too much of the issue. Some Members have focused today on what happens as a result of an accident, but however appalling such results are for the families concerned, in making law and setting penalties we...

I thank the Minister for that intervention, and I do not want to make too much of the issue. Some Members have focused today on what happens as a result of an accident, but however appalling such results are for the families concerned, in making law and setting penalties we...

I am listening very carefully, and the hon. Gentleman says that the difficulty of assembling evidence was the reason for sentence imposed in that case. If the motor cyclist was charged with causing death by careless driving, given the difficulties with the evidence and proving the speed and so forth,...

I am listening very carefully, and the hon. Gentleman says that the difficulty of assembling evidence was the reason for sentence imposed in that case. If the motor cyclist was charged with causing death by careless driving, given the difficulties with the evidence and proving the speed and so forth,...

I take that point, and it is clear that in such cases the right offence for someone to be charged with is dangerous driving, which addresses the question of intent. The hon. Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon) mentioned similar cases in his constituency, and his complaint seemed primarily to...

I take that point, and it is clear that in such cases the right offence for someone to be charged with is dangerous driving, which addresses the question of intent. The hon. Member for Bolton, South-East (Dr. Iddon) mentioned similar cases in his constituency, and his complaint seemed primarily to...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for letting me have the opportunity to put on record the position of the Liberal Democrats on death by careless driving. I hope he agrees that it should be possible in Committee to provide sufficient clarity for those of us who are not opposed in...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for letting me have the opportunity to put on record the position of the Liberal Democrats on death by careless driving. I hope he agrees that it should be possible in Committee to provide sufficient clarity for those of us who are not opposed in...

My hon. Friend’s constituency almost neighbours mine. Yes, the Leicester Mercury has an excellent record of campaigning on such tragic events. The Weir family of Donisthorpe in North-West Leicestershire, whose teenage son, a pedestrian, was killed late at night by a lorry driver who died of a heart attack some...

My hon. Friend’s constituency almost neighbours mine. Yes, the Leicester Mercury has an excellent record of campaigning on such tragic events. The Weir family of Donisthorpe in North-West Leicestershire, whose teenage son, a pedestrian, was killed late at night by a lorry driver who died of a heart attack some...

It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Leicester, South (Sir Peter Soulsby), who spoke on the very subject that I want to talk about. After five hours of debate, I am glad that we have returned to that important issue. I also very much welcome the...

It is a great pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Leicester, South (Sir Peter Soulsby), who spoke on the very subject that I want to talk about. After five hours of debate, I am glad that we have returned to that important issue. I also very much welcome the...

I am delighted at the cross-party consensus. We agree with the Government that devices that jam detection devices should be banned. We all have detectors in the front of our head. They are called eyes. The more devices there are to tell us where cameras are, the better. We want...

I am delighted at the cross-party consensus. We agree with the Government that devices that jam detection devices should be banned. We all have detectors in the front of our head. They are called eyes. The more devices there are to tell us where cameras are, the better. We want...

That intervention is helpful. Perhaps we can examine the definition of dangerous driving, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years, to see whether we can plug that gap. Hon. Members on both sides of the House have raised examples, and there is clearly a problem. We are concerned in...

That intervention is helpful. Perhaps we can examine the definition of dangerous driving, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years, to see whether we can plug that gap. Hon. Members on both sides of the House have raised examples, and there is clearly a problem. We are concerned in...

It is a great pleasure to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone), who has campaigned on road safety since he came to Parliament, following the example of his predecessor. I will turn to his points a little later. We should remember that, in 2004, 3,221 people...

It is a great pleasure to follow my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Bone), who has campaigned on road safety since he came to Parliament, following the example of his predecessor. I will turn to his points a little later. We should remember that, in 2004, 3,221 people...

The hon. Lady probably wants to include serious injuries, too.

The hon. Lady probably wants to include serious injuries, too.

It is good to follow the hon. Member for North Shropshire (Mr. Paterson). From his tone and his description of the way in which Conservative Members will handle the Bill, we can all look forward to an enjoyable and constructive Committee stage. I suspect from the comments this afternoon that...

It is good to follow the hon. Member for North Shropshire (Mr. Paterson). From his tone and his description of the way in which Conservative Members will handle the Bill, we can all look forward to an enjoyable and constructive Committee stage. I suspect from the comments this afternoon that...