§ Mr. HindTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has reviewed the continuing need for the non-statutory blood or urine option in drink-drive cases; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdThe average take-up rate for the non-statutory option fell from 36 per cent. in April 1984 to 353W around 14 per cent. by the end of 1985, and has remained at about that level ever since. The last full year for which statistics are available is 1986, when almost 8,000 motorists exercised the non-statutory option. Of these, only some 20 or so cases have been identified where the analysis of the blood or urine specimen produced a reading below the prescribed limit. This can largely be attributed to delays between providing the breath and blood or urine samples. As Sir William Paton found in his report on the monitoring of evidential breath testing machines in 1986, there is nothing to suggest that evidential breath testing machines are not reliable. I have therefore decided that the non-statutory option should be discontinued. This should allow significant savings in police costs.