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Road Safety Bill [HL]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for his remarks. The central point at the back of what we are discussing is the inconsistency concerning young drivers: 17 to 21 year-olds comprise 10 per cent of licence holders but account for 20 per cent of crashes. Many of us believe that pilot schemes are an effective way of tackling the problem, as my noble friend Lady Gardner of Parkes reminded us when she brought forward her very good amendment earlier. For these pilots are able to investigate a variety of expedients, including graduated learning, here discussed, and the system of P-plates for young drivers which my noble friend Lady Gardner advocates. There may be very little between the Minister and myself on this issue. I believe from his remarks that he continues to support the whole idea of graduated learning, although he may take exception—and perhaps have good reason for so doing—to my proposal to begin graduated learning before the provisional licence is issued. There is no particular reason why graduated learning should begin there. At the same time, it is quite logical that it should. Yet if the Minister brings forward his own scheme to encourage better driving at different stages, then he has achieved the same purpose. However, what many of us consider more important than anything else in the interest of saving lives is the resolve to take action on the evidence of the anomaly before us. Certainly we await the department’s report with great interest. I shall study what the Minister has said and may well return to the matter at Third Reading. In the mean time, I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn.