Drink-Driving

Baroness Grender Excerpts
Wednesday 1st July 2026

(1 month ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill Portrait Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)
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The first comprehensive road safety strategy for some time was published a few months ago, and part of the consultation is indeed to look at lowering the limits for drink-driving. All the statistics the noble Baroness quoted are of course correct. We need to do something about it, and one of the reasons for the publication of the road safety strategy was that the number of deaths and serious injuries on the road has plateaued and it should be going down.

Baroness Grender Portrait Baroness Grender (LD)
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My Lords, UK courts can disqualify drink-drivers, but they cannot currently require an alcolock as a condition of returning to the road. Will the Government consider giving courts this option, in particular for repeat and high-risk drink-driving offenders?

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill Portrait Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill (Lab)
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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.