Drink-Driving

Lord Forbes of Newcastle Excerpts

Wednesday 1st July 2026 Lords Chamber

[Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)]

That is precisely one of the things that the Government have consulted about, because it is important that the maximum range of penalties and actions is available to deal with drink-driving and, even worse, repeat drink-driving. That is why we have consulted. This is one of the items in the consultation and why I anticipate that we will take action when we have analysed the results of it.

[Lord Forbes of Newcastle (Lab)]

My Lords, when I was 18, my parents’ car was hit head-on by a drunk driver. Both my parents survived, but my mother was left with life-changing injuries. I therefore warmly welcome the Government’s road safety strategy, especially the consultation under way on lowering the drink-drive limit and expanding the use of alcohol interlock technology. Can my noble friend the Minister give assurances to the House that any new enforcement powers, particularly immediate licence suspensions and alcolock technologies, will be applied consistently by the courts and consistently across all police forces, so that public confidence in the drink-drive reduction measures we are seeking to introduce are strengthened rather than undermined?

[Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)]

I am sure that our hearts go out to my noble friend and to many other people like him who have suffered this sort of terrible family or close relationship catastrophe. Of course, the enforcement of the law is a matter for chief police officers. However, I have no doubt that, if we improve both the techniques that can be used to detect drink-driving and drug-driving and the range of penalties that are available for enforcement, chief police officers will treat this seriously, as will the courts.