§ Dr. MarekTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has issued advice to chief constables in respect of the allocation of police resources to target drinking drivers. [27349]
§ Mr. Michael[holding answer 4 February 1998]: No advice has been issued because the allocation of resources to particular areas of police activity is a matter for individual chief officers and their police authorities to determine in accordance with local needs and priorities.
Chief officers attach high importance to the enforcement of drink driving legislation. Police forces in England and Wales administered a total of 781.100 screening breath tests during 1996. This figure represented an 11 per cent. increase over the number of tests taken in 1995.