§ Mr. Nicholas BennettTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in rank order, starting with the police force with the highest number of breath tests, the number of breath tests administered in each police force area, the percentage of positive tests and the number of accidents in each police force area expressed per head of population for the Christmas period 1985, 1986, 1987 and 1988.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggI will write to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for drink-driving offences were made during the Christmas period in the Bolton area, for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. John Patten[holding answer 31 January 1989]: The information available centrally is given in the table; corresponding figures for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Comprehensive information is not collected on the date of offence but sample inquiries indicate that court proceedings for drink-driving offences take on average, throughout England and Wales, about three months from offence to completion.
Proceedings completed at Bolton magistrates' court for offences ofdriving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs by month Month of completion 1986 1987 January 38 41 February 43 41 March 44 48 April 48 34 May 39 36 June 36 53 July 34 47 August 32 36 September 33 56 October 33 48 November 31 63 December 39 46 Total 450 549