Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the annual reviews by Police and Crime Commissioners include significant sections dealing with the effectiveness of their forces’ road policing obligations; and what plans they have to make inclusion of roads policing in those annual reviews mandatory.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The government have received a draft report of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) on roads policing. The date for publication will be decided by HMICFRS.
The HMICFRS consultation on its proposals for a new framework for future PEEL inspections is currently suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We will respond to these proposals as and when the consultation process is resumed.
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are responsible for the totality of policing within their force area. This includes ensuring the Chief Constable delivers an effective and efficient police service to meet the priorities of the local community. PCCs are required to set out their strategic objectives in a Police and Crime Plan following consultation with the public and local partners.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect that all police forces will adopt the use of the CRaSH road collision and casualty reporting system.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The government have received a draft report of Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) on roads policing. The date for publication will be decided by HMICFRS.
The HMICFRS consultation on its proposals for a new framework for future PEEL inspections is currently suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We will respond to these proposals as and when the consultation process is resumed.
Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are responsible for the totality of policing within their force area. This includes ensuring the Chief Constable delivers an effective and efficient police service to meet the priorities of the local community. PCCs are required to set out their strategic objectives in a Police and Crime Plan following consultation with the public and local partners.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what impact their plans to recruit an additional 20,000 police officers will have on resources available for road policing.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Government has committed to increasing the number of police officers by 20,000 over the next three years. An additional 20,000 officers sends a clear message that we are committed to giving police the resources they need to tackle crime and keep our communities safe.
The Home Office has confirmed the allocations for every force in England and Wales in the first year of the uplift. 6,000 additional officers have been allocated to forces across England and Wales by the end of March 2021 and over 3,000 have already been recruited.
We are working closely with policing leaders to ensure the additional resource will have the right impact. Chief Constables remain operationally independent, and the deployment of officers is an operational matter for local Chief Constables.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount of time that has been spent on giving type approval for the cameras needed to enforce regulations on smart motorways.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
It is important that systems which are approved by the Home Office can be relied upon in court. They are therefore subjected to a stringent and robust process.
The length of time that takes depends on many variables, not all of which are under the control of the Home Office, for example meeting the technical requirements, meeting deadlines for submission of devices and documentation and then performing satisfactorily during the testing stages.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to prevent thieves from stealing cars by using relay box equipment.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Minister for Policing and the Fire Service chaired the first meeting of the Vehicle Theft Taskforce on 15 January. As part of its work, the Taskforce will review whether further measures are required to stop devices that may be used to commit vehicle theft falling into criminals’ hands.
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect type approval to be issued for the cameras needed to properly enforce regulations on smart motorways; and whether they intend to postpone the opening of further sections of smart motorway until such approval has been received.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The Home Office is working towards providing type approval for this technology.
Decisions about postponing the opening of further sections of smart motorway until such type approval is provided would be a matter for Highways England
Asked by: Lord Bradshaw (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what powers a police constable has to require the drivers of vehicles involved in road accidents to undertake a simple roadside eye test.
Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)
The police are empowered under section 96 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 to request that a person that they suspect of driving a motor vehicle, with eyesight that does not meet the minimum eyesight standard set out in the driving licence regulations, to take a roadside eyesight test.