Ministry of Justice written question – answered at on 6 September 2021.
Rupa Huq
Labour, Ealing Central and Acton
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what his timetable is for bringing forward legislative proposals to introduce tougher penalties for causing death by dangerous driving.
Alex Chalk
Assistant Whip, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, currently before Parliament, includes provisions that will increase the maximum penalty for causing death by dangerous driving from 14 years’ imprisonment to life. The PCSC Bill has passed third reading in the House of Commons and has been introduced to the House of Lords for further scrutiny.
Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
The House of Commons is one of the houses of parliament. Here, elected MPs (elected by the "commons", i.e. the people) debate. In modern times, nearly all power resides in this house. In the commons are 650 MPs, as well as a speaker and three deputy speakers.
The house of Lords is the upper chamber of the Houses of Parliament. It is filled with Lords (I.E. Lords, Dukes, Baron/esses, Earls, Marquis/esses, Viscounts, Count/esses, etc.) The Lords consider proposals from the EU or from the commons. They can then reject a bill, accept it, or make amendments. If a bill is rejected, the commons can send it back to the lords for re-discussion. The Lords cannot stop a bill for longer than one parliamentary session. If a bill is accepted, it is forwarded to the Queen, who will then sign it and make it law. If a bill is amended, the amended bill is sent back to the House of Commons for discussion.
The Lords are not elected; they are appointed. Lords can take a "whip", that is to say, they can choose a party to represent. Currently, most Peers are Conservative.
