§ Mr. Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the results of the Christmas drink-drive campaign(a) in 1993 and (b) in previous years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. KeyThe results this year show continuing good progress in reducing drink-driving.
I am very grateful to the police for the excellent support they have given. In England and Wales they conducted nearly 11 per cent more breath tests than in the 1992 Christmas campaign. I am also grateful to all those who supported the campaign through sponsorship or publicity at national and local level.
Final figures for England and Wales show that the proportion of drivers tested who were over the legal limit was 6.8 per cent., compared with 7.2 per cent. in the 1992 Christmas campaign and 7.9 per cent. in the 1991 campaign. This is a significant reduction, bearing in mind that progress must become more difficult as the problem is reduced.
It is clear, therefore, that if we are to keep up this rate of progress we must maintain our efforts to get the message across that drinking and driving wrecks lives.