article_snippet: Suzette Davenport insisted that a rise in offending showed much tougher punishments were needed to deter the worst culprits.
article_snippet: I would take a much harder line in terms of outcomes from enforcement.
article_snippet: The minister intervention follows the release of figures last week showing that mobile offending has risen despite numerous crackdowns.
article_snippet: Tory insisted the Government was reviewing the introduction of a six-point penalty, two instances of which would trigger a ban.
article_snippet: There is no point increasing the penalties if we are not actually catching people.
article_snippet: And official figures show that the number of fixed penalty notices has fallen 26 per cent while offending – as observed in spot checks by transport officials – has risen 14 per cent since 2009.
article_snippet: Two thirds of those observed breaking the law (1.1 per cent)
article_snippet: The figures prompted Mr Clegg to call for tougher penalties.
article_snippet: That’s why in this government we’ve actually increased the penalty, we’ve dramatically increased the penalties, just I think a couple of years ago. '
highlights_snippet: But Lib Dem Nick Clegg backs calls for new laws to send a 'clear message' 