To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with chief constables on the deployment of officers to enforce section 41D of the Road Traffic Act 1988; and if he will make a statement. (142813)

Deployment of resources is an operational matter for individual chief officers. This particular issue has not featured in my discussions with them.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been (a) prosecuted and (b) convicted in (i) Essex, (ii) Southend and (iii) England and Wales of an offence under section 41D of the Road Traffic Act 1988 since that section came into force. (142814)

Section 41D of the Road Traffic Act 1988 was inserted by the Road Safety Act 2006 and came into effect on 27 February 2007. Data on its operation will be available in 2009.

Using a mobile phone whilst driving became an offence under earlier legislation in December 2003. Information on this offence can be found in Offences relating to motor vehicles—Supplementary tables 2003 and Offences relating to motor vehicles—supplementary tables 2004, available in the Library and at:

www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pubsstatistical.html