Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential economic and social impact on rural pubs and hospitality businesses of reducing the drink driving limit; and whether alternative measures have been considered.

The Government is consulting on proposed changes to penalties for motoring offences, as part of the recently published Road Safety Strategy.

As part of this, the Government is consulting on the general principle of lowering the drink drive limit in England and Wales, which has remained unchanged since 1967 and is currently the highest in Europe.

Current evidence does not suggest a widespread or sustained adverse impact on the hospitality sector overall, but the Government will conduct an impact assessment following consultation responses and an evidenceled options analysis.

The consultation is seeking views on a range of measures to reduce drink-driving, including options such as alcohol ignition interlocks (“alcolocks”) for offenders and powers to suspend licences for suspected drink or drug drivers.