§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for the Environmnt if he will introduce legislation to amend the Road Safety Act 1967 in such a way as to prevent tape recordings being used as indications of methods of defence to breaches of the 1967 Act concerning drinking and driving and advertisements for insurance cover extending to the provision of chauffeur driven cars following successful prosecution for drinking and driving.
§ Dr. GilbertA number of publications, intended for lawyers' use, examine the complexities and anomalies of the present law on drinking and driving and indicate unmeritorious technical defences. The best way to deal with this situation is to amend the law to remove the anomalies. The forthcoming report of the departmental committee under Mr. Frank Blennerhassett's chairmanship will examine how this may be done, and will refer to the subject of insurance against disqualification.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now publish the Blennerhassett Committee report on drinking and driving; if he intends to publish a White Paper on the proposals; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. GilbertI received the main text of the Committee's Report just before Christmas and expect to see the appendices very soon. I intend to publish the Report as soon as possible, and shall then make a statement about it.