Road Safety Bill [HL]

Of course, that is entirely right. I am not seeking to contradict that point. It is the responsibility of the courts to deal out the punishment related to the offence, but we are talking about the range within which the penalty points should be identified. I am merely indicating that we are consulting on it. I heard what my noble friend Lord Berkeley said. I could satisfy him by narrowing the range. I certainly would not satisfy the noble Lord, Lord Hanningfield, by narrowing the range at this stage; he wants to extend it beyond that. I have just indicated the broad parameters in which the   Government have conditioned the debate and our broad thinking. We are not seeking to take away from the courts their responsibility; we seek to indicate the contours of the public debate. Once the Bill becomes an Act of Parliament, we will carry out the final consultation for three months and   then seek to enact the consequent secondary legislation that will give definition to the issues. My noble friend Lord Berkeley had a good try at making me define things narrowly in the Bill, but I hope not to concede to that at this stage. I hope that the House will recognise that we have had a good debate and identified what is at stake. Everyone who is involved in the issues is well exercised about the consultation period. Everybody recognises that, in due course, secondary legislation will be proposed that will give this House and the other place a chance to take definitive decisions on such proposals.