§ 10. Mr. Ashtonasked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether in the interests of road safety, he will introduce legislation to allow motorists to purchase for their own use the breathalyser kits now issued to the police.
§ The Minister for Transport (Mr. Frederick Mulley)Legislation is not needed. Motorists can already purchase the breath-testing device used by the police.
§ Mr. AshtonIs my right hon. Friend aware that motorists can purchase the kits only by driving up to Blyth in Northumberland and obtaining them from the factory? In the interests of safety, is it not possible for my right hon. Friend to launch a campaign and ask the Automobile Association to stock breathalysers at its shops or to ask garages to stock them, so that motorists may have a breathometer as well as a speedometer?
§ Mr. MulleyMy hon. Friend's intentions are good but his advice would be disastrous. We cannot and do not advise motorists to test themselves, because the test is only a screening device and can give a misleading result. It is well established that for some time after a person has taken a drink alcohol continues to be absorbed into the blood. Thus, a driver 393 testing himself may find that his blood alcohol concentration is below the limit when he sets out on a journey but it may later be found to have increased well above the limit.