§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to introduce mandatory penalties for drivers convicted of causing death or serious injury when under the influence of alcohol.
§ Mr. Mulley :Disqualification is mandatory for drinking and driving offences. This is among the aspects of the law which Mr. Blennerhassett's Committee is examining.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he is satisfied with the operation of those sections of the Road Safety Act 1967 designed to reduce driving under the influence of alcohol ;
(2) when he anticipates receiving the report of the committee investigating the operation of the Road Safety Act 1967.
§ Mr. Mulley :My principal reason for setting up an inquiry into the operation of the law on drinking and driving was that the effects of the 1967 Act in reducing road casualties appear to be wearing off. I asked the committee to report to me by the autumn of this year, and the chairman, Mr. Frank Blennerhassett QC, tells me that he hopes to meet this target.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide road accident statistics in relation to the closing times of public houses.
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§ Mr. Mulley:There is a peak in road casualties between 10 and 12 p.m., particularly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Coroners' reports show that over 50 per cent, of drivers killed in accidents between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. are over the legal limit of blood alcohol, as compared with about 10 per cent, in the remaining hours of the day. A fuller analysis of casualties by hour of day appears in Tables 34 of Road Accidents Great Britain 1973, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.