§ Mr. Macleanasked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to make driving under the influence of solvents a specific criminal offence.
§ Mrs ChalkerThe Road Traffic Act 1972, as amended by the Transport Act 1981, provides that a person is guilty of an offence if he drives or attempts to drive while unfit to do so through drink or drugs. Although the meaning of drug for this purpose is not defined in the Act, the High Court has ruled that solvents can be regarded as a drug and successful prosecutions for driving under the influence of solvents have already been brought under the existing legislation. I therefore do not believe that further legislation is needed.