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Crime: Drink-Driving

Answer

The requested data for England and Wales are published in table 4.01 of the annual Home Office Statistical Bulletin: Police Powers and Procedures which can be found in the Library of the House. A link to the bulletin and the table itself are provided for the noble Lord’s convenience. Figures for Scotland are a matter for the devolved Administration. http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs10/hosb0610.pdf

Table 4.01 Number of screening breath tests by outcome, 1999 to 2008
Numbers (thousands) and percentages
Numbers (thousands) and percentages										England and Wales
Outcome	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008
Total number of tests¹	764.5	714.8	623.9	570.2	534.3	578.0	607.4	601.7	599.8	711.7
Number positive or refused²	94.4	94.6	99.5	103.5	106.3	103.0	104.3	103.7	97.6	91.7
% Positive or refused	12	13	16	18	20	18	17	17	16	13

"1 Many forces have implemented a new digital breath test system which has affected some forces as it now means they are able to provide a more accurate representation of ““total test”” figures than previous paper-based systems.""2 Figures for positive/refused contain some data on prosecutions for failing a breath test where shortfalls were found in the data supplied to the Home Office. The police forces affected are: Dyfed-Powys, Gwent, Essex, Norfolk, Northumbria, South Wales and Staffordshire. Similar adjustments were also made to various forces data between 1998 and 2007." "2 Figures for positive/refused contain some data on prosecutions for failing a breath test where shortfalls were found in the data supplied to the Home Office. The police forces affected are: Dyfed-Powys, Gwent, Essex, Norfolk, Northumbria, South Wales and Staffordshire. Similar adjustments were also made to various forces data between 1998 and 2007."

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

622; 719 c245-6WA

Session

2010-12

Subjects

Breathalysers Driving under influence

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk