Derek McDowell (Labour)

Why do we need to create this new offence? If the Minister of State envisages that in all circumstances when one refuses at the side of the road one will be brought to the station where the additional penalty of disqualification is available, why create an offence of refusal at the side of the road?

Perhaps I am not making myself clear. At the moment we are saying, in theory, that somebody could be prosecuted twice, for having refused at the side of the road, at the checkpoint, and again for having refused in the station. On the latter offence one can be disqualified but not on the first offence. Why is that necessary? I cannot imagine any circumstances in which a person would be prosecuted for those two separate offences.