§ 15. Mr. Murrayasked the Minister of Transport what representations she has received from the National Consultative Council of the Retail Liquor Trade regarding the breathalyser tests: and what answer she has sent.
§ Mr. Carmichael:We have received no direct representations. Our answer to the Council's printed letters, which are intended to be signed by customers of public houses and sent to hon. Members, is that we do not accept that breath testing is an unwarranted interference with individual liberty, that we are satisfied that alcohol has been responsible for a large number of road accidents, and that we cannot accept the relaxation in the law which the Council proposes.
§ 45. Mr. Ridleyasked the Minister of Transport. in view of the fact that in eight of 33 test cases the breathalyser gave false positive readings on persons whose alcohol /blood ratio was less than 80 milligrammes/ 100 millilitres, if she will raise the acceptable level to 100 milligrammes/ 100 millilitres.
§ Mr. John Morris:No.
§ 71. Sir C. Taylorasked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that in Germany 150 milligrammes of alcohol are permitted in the blood stream before arrest due to a breathalyser test, and that 130 milligrammes 565W are proposed for the Republic of Ireland, she will reconsider the 80 milligrammes now being permitted in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. Carmichael:No.
§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Minister of Transport if she will seek to provide a system of redundancy pay or other form of compensation for those publicans forced out of business due to the effect of the breath test on their customers.
§ Mr. Carmichael:No.