§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has issued to road safety officers concerning the role of children in getting across to adults the "don't drink and drive" message; and if he will make it his policy that all "don't drink and drive" advertisements on television sponsored by his Department are transmitted during hours when children are likely to be viewing.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleWe have not given specific advice to road safety officers, although they are involved in the planning of our drink-drive campaigns.
We aim to show our television commercials to as wide an audience as possible and recognise that children have an important role in influencing the attitudes of adults. Surveys have shown that children's views against drinking and driving have been reinforced by watching the commercials. The final decision on when commercials can be transmitted rests with the Independent Television Commission.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research he has undertaken into impairment caused by alcohol to the driving of young or infrequent drinkers.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleThere has been no specific research into this subject in the United Kingdom. International research suggests that young drivers arid infrequent drinkers are more likely to be impaired at lower alcohol levels, but there is considerable variability between individuals at all ages.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to amend the Road Traffic Act 1988 so as to reduce the alcohol limit in Britain to 50 mg/100 ml and to include random breath tests.
§ Mr. CarlisleNo. The current limit of 80 mg/100 ml is scientifically based at the level at which, for most people, the chance of being involved in an accident starts to rise sharply. More than half of all drink-drive offenders are convicted at twice this limit. Lowering the legal limit and introducing random breath tests would risk directing resources away from this group of high risk offenders.
§ Ms. WalleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received to lower the legal unit of alcohol in the breath and blood for tests carried out by the police; and what information he has as to the legal limits set by other countries.
§ Mr. Kenneth CarlisleWe receive representations from time to time from road safety organisations and from members of the public. The best information we have on legal limits for drinking and driving in other countries is for other European Community member states, a majority of which share the same legal limit as the United Kingdom.