§ Mr. ColvinTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy towards the sale in the United Kingdom of breath test equipment designed to enable drivers to test their own alcohol/breath levels.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyWe discourage the use of devices marketed for self-testing alcohol levels. As this month's edition of "Which" makes clear, they can give results which are open to misinterpretation. Breath tests taken before all the alcohol consumed has been absorbed into the blood stream could mislead drivers into thinking that they are below the legal limit, when further absorption would put them above it. Such devices can also encourage drivers to drink up to the legal limit.
The only safe answer is never to mix drinking and driving. We will continue to press that message home.