Clause 20 - Causing death by careless, or inconsiderate, driving
Road Safety Bill [Lords]
11:00 am
Alistair Carmichael (Shadow Secretary of State for Transport, Transport; Orkney and Shetland, Liberal Democrat)
The hon. Gentleman said at the outset that his opposition was in principle, which is a perfectly proper position to take. However, Parliament crossed the Rubicon when it made careless driving a criminal offence, because carelessness was criminalised. That was the point of principle. The question whether a custodial, non-custodial or financial penalty should be consequent to that carelessness is not a point of principle.