---

Mr. Christopher Chope (Christchurch) (Con): I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

Mr. Speaker: With this it will be convenient to discuss the following:

New clause 2—Incentives for undertaking driver improvement and speed awareness courses—

'If a person who has at least seven and no more than eleven penalty points endorsed on his driving licence subsequently successfully completes a driver improvement course or speed awareness course authorised by the Secretary of State, he shall be entitled to have the number of penalty points endorsed on his licence reduced by three.'.

New clause 3—Maximum penalty for dangerous driving—

'In Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 (c. 53) (Prosecution and punishment of offences: offences under the Traffic Acts), in the entry relating to section 2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 (c. 52) (dangerous driving) in Column (4) (punishment) for "2 years" substitute "5 years".'.

New clause 4—Causing death by driving whilst unlicensed—

'If a person causes the death of another person by driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place otherwise than in accordance with a licence authorising him to drive a motor vehicle of that class he is guilty of an offence.'.

New clause 6—Causing death by driving whilst disqualified—

'If a person causes the death of another person by driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place while disqualified from driving by order of a court he is guilty of an offence.'.

New clause 7—Speed limit on rural roads—

'(1)   A maximum speed limit may be designated by a relevant authority for all rural roads in an area.

(2)   Where the area is the whole of England, the relevant authority—

(a)   is the Secretary of State;

(b)   may designate, amend or remove a speed limit by order subject to the negative resolution procedure.

 
8 Mar 2005 : Column 1398
 

(3)   Where the area is that of a highway authority, the relevant authority—

(a)   is the highway authority;

(b)   may designate, amend or remove a speed limit by making a traffic order.

(4)   Where the area is that of a principal authority which is not a highway authority, the relevant authority—

(a)   is the highway authority whose area includes the area;

(b)   may designate, amend or remove a speed limit by making a traffic order.

(5)   Notwithstanding the provision of other enactments no sign or other device shall be required for an order made under subsection (2) to have effect.

(6)   Notwithstanding the provisions of other enactments no sign or other device shall be required for an order made under subsection (3) or (4) to have effect save one on each highway entering the area which shall be of a design and dimensions determined by regulation made by the Secretary of State.

(7)   For the purpose of this section, a "rural road" is a highway to which all of the following conditions apply—

(a)   no speed limit other than the national speed limit applies;

(b)   street lighting is not provided; and

(c)   there are no road markings in the centre of the road.

(8)   Where both the Secretary of State and a highway authority have set a speed limit under this section, the lower limit shall have effect.'.

New clause 12—Speed limits for vehicles of certain classes—

'In Schedule 6 to the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (speed limits for vehicles of certain classes), in section 5(2)(b)(iii), column (c) leave out "40" and insert "50".'.

New clause 16—Speed awareness courses—

'(1)   The appropriate national authority shall establish courses for offenders guilty of offences under section 17(4) or 89(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (c. 27).

(2)   The appropriate national authority may issue guidance to course providers, or to any category of course provider, as to the conduct of courses established under subsection (1).

(3)   Course providers shall have regard to any guidance given to them under subsection (2).

(4)   Guidance issued under subsection (2) will make provision in relation to the content and approval of courses and may include provision—

(a)   in relation to the criteria to be applied for identifying those to whom courses should be offered;

(b)   in relation to the content and length of courses;

(c)   for the monitoring of courses and course providers;

(d)   in relation to the making of applications for approval;

(e)   in relation to withdrawing approval; and

(f)   specifying the maximum fees that a person may be required to pay for a course and by when they are to be paid.

(5)   In drawing up guidance issued under subsection (2), the appropriate national authority shall consult such organisations and individuals as it considers fit.'.

New clause 19—Amendment of Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988—

'Schedule 2 to the Road Traffic Offenders Act 1988 shall be amended by substituting the word "discretionary" for the word "obligatory" in column 6.'.

Amendment No. 18, in clause 22, page 25, line 18, leave out paragraph (b).

Amendment No. 19, in page 25, line 30, leave out 'mobile telephones'.

 
8 Mar 2005 : Column 1399
 

Amendment No. 20, in page 26, line 2, leave out 'Obligatory' and insert 'Discretionary'.

Amendment No. 21, in page 26, line 5, leave out 'mobile telephones'.

Mr. Chope: The new clause would enable the increasing volume of funds obtained by so-called safety camera partnerships to be reinvested in education or training programmes undertaken by local authority members of those partnerships. The Government have introduced proposals for road safety grants in clause 1, but we believe that their proposals are de minimis in comparison with the potential of new clause 1.

I am pleased to say that our proposal in the new clause has been warmly supported by the Parliamentary Advisory Council on Transport Safety and I understand that the Liberal Democrats also support it. In Committee, furthermore, it was not only supported but enthusiastically spoken to by the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher), who I am sorry to say is not in his place this afternoon. He pressed the Minister hard to justify the Government's belief that the revenue raised from speed cameras should not be reinvested in education and training programmes for drivers.

---