§ Mr. Archie Hamiltonasked the Minister of Transport when he intends to publish his consultation paper on drinking and driving; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. FowlerI am publishing the consultation paper today and placing copies in the Library.
Alcohol is today the largest single factor leading to death and injury on the road. About 1,200 road accidents deaths a year are the result of drunken driving. One car driver in every three killed is above the legal limit. At night the figure is two in three.
The Government are determined to make a new attack on the problem. As the next step we are issuing this consultation paper, with a view to legislation, which sets out our provisional conclusions on the recommendations of the Blennerhassett committee, which reported in 1976.
We propose to accept the great majority of these recommendations. We agree that breath analysis should replace that of blood or urine as the normal method of testing for evidential purposes at the police station. Such a method would be simpler, quicker, cheaper and less irksome and we are satisfied from extensive trials that there are machines for testing which are sufficiently accurate and reliable.
We agree with the committee that proof of an offence should not be unreasonably dependent on procedural requirements. We also hope that it will be possible to introduce special orders for high risk offenders—those with very high breath or blood alcohol concentrations and repeat offenders—whereby their licences would not be restored until the court is satisfied that the offender does not present undue risks as a driver.
Much of the emphasis in these and other proposed reforms is on assisting the police to tackle their task of enforcement more effectively and economically. But in improving the law we also have to ensure that the rights of the citizen are adequately protected and that we do not damage relations between police and public. The Government have, therefore, not yet reached a conclusion on the recom- 402W mendation that the present restrictions on the power of the police to test at the roadside should be removed
Although the law needs improving, we must not relax our efforts in the meantime to make the present law work as effectively as possible. A number of police forces have already decided to make a special enforcement effort over Christmas and the New Year, when the temptations to drink and drive are particularly strong. At the same time I am launching a £1 million publicity campaign which will emphasise once again the folly of drinking and driving.