§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the breathalyser units being used by the police in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HurdYes. We are satisfied that both the roadside screening devices and the evidential breath testing devices approved for use by the police in England and Wales are accurate and reliable. The forensic science service has investigated all the allegations that have been made about the accuracy of the evidential machines since they were introduced and so far each one has proved to be unfounded.
§ Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the breathalyser machines currently approved for use, the forces using each, and the number of units of each type used by each force;
(2) if he will list all police authorities using the Lion Intoximeter breathalyser; and what is the number of units available in each force.
§ Mr. HurdThe following breath testing devices have been approved for use by the police:
- Roadside screening devices
- Draeger Alcotest R 80 and R 80 A
- Lion Alcolyser
- Lion Alcolmeter SL2
- Draeger A.L.E.R.T.
- Evidential Breath Testing Devices
- Camic Breath Analyser
- Lion Intoximeter 3000
Details of the number and types of roadside screening devices used by different forces are not readily available.
The number of evidential breath testing devices in use in different forces on 9 December 1983 is as follows. The Cleveland and Durham constabularies and the Northumbria and North Yorkshire police use only the Camic Breath Analyser. All other forces use only the Lion Intoximeter.
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Number City of London 2 Avon and Somerset Constabulary 22 Bedfordshire Police 8 Cambridgeshire Constabulary 7 Cheshire Constabulary 12 Cleveland Constabulary* 11 Cumbria Constabulary 7 Derbyshire Constabulary 8 Devon and Cornwall Constabulary 14
Number Dorset Police 11 Durham Constabulary* 11 Dyfed-Powys Police 12 Essex Police 11 Gloucestershire Constabulary 8 Greater Manchester Police 28 Gwent Constabulary 6 Hampshire Constabulary 19 Hertfordshire Constabulary 11 Humberside Police 10 Kent Constabulary 24 Lancashire Constabulary 24 Leicestershire Constabulary 8 Lincolnshire Police 10 Mersey side Police, 27 Norfolk Constabulary 7 Northamptonshire Police 7 Northumbria Police* 14 North Wales Police 13 North Yorkshire Police* 13 Nottinghamshire Constabulary 8 South Wales Police 14 South Yorkshire Police 19 Staffordshire Police 16 Suffolk Constabulary 8 Surrey Constabulary 16 Sussex Police 23 Thames Valley Police 22 Warwickshire Constabulary 7 West Mercia Constabulary 20 West Midlands Police 20 West Yorkshire Police 19 Wiltshire Constabulary 9 Metropolitan Police 116 * Camic breath analyser.