---

Dept for Transport

Answer

Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the issues on which views were invited in Combating Drink Driving: Next Steps, published in February 1998; and what action has been taken with regard to each of them. [144555] Mr. Jamieson: Each of the issues and the action taken are listed in the following table below. _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Proposal Action taken 1. Introducing powers to authorise breath testing without prior Not proceeded with. A proposal to give the police powers to suspicion. carry out targeted breathtesting was included in the Road Safety Strategy. In the event, this was deemed unnecessary as the police already undertake intelligence-led enforcement against drink-driving. 2. Where Bail Act powers are used to prevent driving between an Not proceeded with. This was not an issue which attracted offence and a court appearance, reducing the final period of any significant comment in the public response. disqualification by any period by the amount of time that the driver was banned as part of his or her bail. 3. Streamlining prosecution proceedings by conditional fixed Conditional fixed penalty offers were not proceeded with. This penalty offers to drivers not to take court proceedings and by proposal received little support in the public response. The evidential roadside breath testing. Government agree with those who consider that the seriousness of drink-driving offences should require a court appearance. The Government are planning to introduce legislation giving the police powers to carry out evidential roadside breathtesting as soon as parliamentary time permits. 4. Reducing the drink-drive limit to 50mg/100ml The Government have decided not to lower the legal limit. 5. In the event of a 50mg limit, whether the current 12 months' No action taken in view of decision on 4. period of disqualification should be retained or lesser penalties applied to offences in the 50-80mg range. 6. Introducing a specially low drink-drive limit for novice Not proceeded with. The Government consider that allowing drivers. drivers to drink more once they cease to be novices might convey the wrong message. 7. The effectiveness of drink-drive rehabilitation courses and A permanent drink-drive rehabilitation scheme was introduced ideas for extending or modifying the scheme or the range of throughout Great Britain from 1 January 2000. The Government are offenders to be sent on courses. planning to introduce legislation enabling courts to refer offenders to driver retraining and improvement courses as soon as parliamentary time permits. 8. Promoting self-test breathalysers. The Government expressed doubts about the value of such devices in the consultation document and, in the light of the response, sees no reason actively to promote them. _________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

144555; 416 c48W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Crime prevention Alcoholic drinks Breathalysers Blood alcohol levels Disqualification Driving under influence Police Powers Punishment Rehabilitation Road traffic offences Consultation papers

Link

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