HC Deb 16 January 1989 vol 145 c91W
48. Mr. Boyes

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Christmas drink-driving campaign.

Mr. Peter Bottomley

The coverage of this year's campaign in the media was impressive and helpful.

We greatly welcome the contribution of the private sector to the campaign, especially the publicans, brewers, soft drink producers, clubs, supermarkets and off-licences.

It is clear that more people are becoming aware of the dangers and that there is a long-term downward trend in the amount of drinking and driving. The test is whether fewer people are being killed and injured. It is too early for a full assessment. We shall publish figures when they are available.

Preliminary police figures suggest that a substantial increase in their enforcement effort during the full holiday period resulted in 4 per cent. more drivers failing the road-side screening test.

It has been reported that 53,000 drivers were tested during this period compared with 37,000 for the same period in 1987—an increase of 43 per cent.

Within the higher numbers of drivers tested, the proportion of those found over the limit was only one in 10 compared with one in four over the year as a whole.