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Written Answers to Questions
Friday 10 May 1991
TRADE AND INDUSTRY
RECHAR
Mr. Blunkett : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to meet the requirements of the European Commissioner to allow additional spending with regard to RECHAR ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Leigh : My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Trade and Industry, for Northern Ireland, for Wales and for Scotland, and other Ministers, met Mr. Bruce Millan, European Commissioner with responsibility for regional policies, on 25 April to discuss issues relating to the Community's structural funds.
The proposed RECHAR programmes of grants for United Kingdom coalfield areas were one of the subjects discussed. The meeting helped reduce the misunderstanding there has been about the additionality of Community grants. We remain in touch with the Commission and hope that agreement will now soon be reached to enable these useful programmes to proceed.
Consumers' Deposits
Mr. David Marshall : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to ensure that deposits paid by consumers for goods or services are held in trust so that in the event of a company going into receivership, liquidation or bankruptcy, the deposit will be refunded to the consumer.
Mr. Leigh : We have no plans to introduce such legislation. The Government accepted the view of the Insolvency Law Review Committee that compulsory trust accounts would add to the costs and prices of businesses and would be detrimental to the interests of ordinary creditors. The Director General of Fair Trading is, however, continuing to keep this area under review, and we shall give careful consideration to any recommendations he may make.
Stormseal
Ms. Mowlam : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make an application against Mike and Mark Sweeney, formerly directors of Stormseal and now directors of Sure Style, under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986, having particular regard to any responsibility they may have had for the Stormseal company becoming insolvent.
Mr. Redwood : Stormseal UPVC Window Co. Ltd. was one of a group of six companies that went into administrative receivership on 4 January 1991 and were controlled by brothers Mark and Michael Sweeney. Subsequently on 27 March 1991 winding-up orders were made against Stormseal and one other company Stirfront
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Ltd. and the official receiver at Manchester is dealing with their affairs. Both the administrative receiver and the official receiver have a responsibility under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 to consider the conduct of the directors and report any matters to the Secretary of State which they consider makes them unfit to be concerned in the management of a company.An initial report is required to be submitted within six months of the appointment of the administrative receiver, but it is understood that the complexity of the affairs of the Stormseal group makes it unlikely that a full report will be able to be prepared by June 1991. On receipt of the full reports from the administrative receiver and the official receiver, the Secretary of State will consider whether it is appropriate to apply for disqualification of the said directors or any other persons involved in the affairs of the group.
National Film Commission
Mr. Wilshire : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to take a decision on the film industry's proposal for a national film commission.
Mr. Leigh : I am happy to announce that the Government have decided to invite Sydney Samuelson to establish a United Kingdom film commission to promote the United Kingdom as a place to make films and that the commission will receive grants from the DTI totalling £3.5 million over the next four years. The Department will discuss with the commission detailed terms and conditions.
Industry Council
Ms. Quin : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the discussions which took place in the EC Industry Council on 29 April.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 7 May 1991] : The Industry Council meeting on 29 April, which Lord Hesketh attended for the United Kingdom, discussed Commission communications on the European electronics and information technology industry, the biotechnology industry and the future of the European Coal and Steel Community treaty. The Council also discussed Community policy on small and medium-sized enterprises and adopted a resolution reaffirming the Council's commitment to promoting the creation and development of small firms throughout the European Community.
Post Office
Mr. Hardy : To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what proposals he has to privatise Post Office Counters Ltd ; (2) what preparations Post Office Counters Ltd. is making for privatisation ;
(3) what representations he has received concerning the re-establishment of a sub-post office at Newhill, near Rotherham ; and if he will make a statement ;
(4) what is his policy on the provision of sub-post offices.
Mr. Leigh [holding answer 8 May 1991] : The Government have made it clear on a number of occasions that we remain fully committed to the maintenance of a network of post offices adequate to enable the Post Office
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to fulfil its statutory duty to have regard to economy and efficiency, and to the social, commercial and industrial needs of the United Kingdom. I am satisfied that in managing its network of post offices the Post Office is fully meeting these obligations. We have at present no plans for the privatisation of the Post Office. Girobank has been successfully transferred to the private sector, but no other decisions have been taken.It has been the policy of successive Governments since the establishment of the Post Office as a public corporation in 1969 that decisions concerning aspects of the day-to-day running of the postal business, such as those relating to the level of service provision available in particular areas, are the operational responsibility of the Post Office Board. The Government's role in Post Office matters is confined to broad issues of general policy and to matters of overall control.
I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received no representations concerning the re-establishment of a sub-post office at Newhill, Rotherham.
EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
Zoological Society
Sir John Wheeler : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when grants were first made to the Zoological Society of London in connection with scientific research ; what has been the total grant paid to date ; and what is the proposed grant for the current financial year.
Mr. Alan Howarth : The Department of the Environment first provided funds specifically for the society's Institute of Zoology of £1.3 million in 1988-89. Responsibility for public funding of the institute was transferred to my Department through the Universities Funding Council and the university of London in April 1989. The transfer was accompanied by an increase in public funding through the UFC in respect of the university of London of £1.3 million in the 1989-90 financial year and £1.4 million in the subsequent two financial years. The actual level of funding for the institute is strictly a matter for the university of London. In addition, the institute received grants from the research councils and the Royal Society of £0.5 million in 1989-90.
Humanities (Postgraduate Studentships)
Mr. Amos : To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the recent change in the arrangements for the administration of the postgraduate state studentship scheme in the humanities.
Mr. Alan Howarth : Since 1984 the British Academy has administered the national scheme for postgraduate studentships in the humanities on behalf of the Secretary of State for Education and Science. Full responsibility for the scheme was transferred to the academy which, with effect from the beginning of this financial year, administers it in its own right. It continues to receive funds for this purpose from my Department.
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WALES
Regional Policy
Dr. Thomas : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement following his discussion with the Commissioner for regional policy of the European Community held on 15 April.
Mr. David Hunt : Together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and other ministerial colleagues, I met European Commissioner Millan on 25 April.
We discussed a wide range of European structural fund matters. Commissioner Millan assured me that a decision on the
Dyfed-Gwynedd-Powys integrated development operation programme would be made shortly.
Quangos
Mr. Grocott : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the individual appointments excluding casual vacancies he is scheduled to make to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations in (a) 1991 and (b) 1992 indicating in each case the title of the post, the salary if any and the duration of the appointment.
Mr. David Hunt : The readily available information about the appointments for which I am responsible, a number of which will fall to be made in 1991 and 1992, is in "Public Bodies" and "Public Appointments : A Handbook for Women's Organisations", copies of which are in the Library of the House.
Schools Inspectorate
Mr. Gwilym Jones : To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to institute a review of Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools in Wales.
Mr. David Hunt : Given the proposed changes in the education service, I think that this is an opportune moment to conduct an in-depth review of the role and structure of Her Majesty's inspectorate in Wales. I am putting in hand arrangements for such a review.
THE ARTS
Paisley Pattern
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Minister for the Arts what plans he has to fund a heritage centre to show the history of and to promote the sale of articles in the paisley pattern ; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Renton : I have no plans to fund such a heritage centre. My funding responsibility does not extend to museums in Scotland, where I assume that such a centre would be based.
HOME DEPARTMENT
Passport Service
Mr. John Morris : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be in a position to reply to the correspondence of the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon requesting a passport for Mrs. Williams of Blaengwynfi, Port Talbot.
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Mr. Kenneth Baker : I wrote to the right hon. and learned Gentleman about this matter on 22 January. Unfortunately, he does not appear to have received the letter. My office has now forwarded a further copy which I trust he has received.Gloucester Prison
Mr. French : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the ratio of prison staff to inmates at Gloucester prison for each of the last three years ; and what was the comparable figure in the five prisons nearest to it in size.
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Mrs. Rumbold : On 1 April 1991, the ratio of prison officers to inmates in local prisons, including principal and senior officers but excluding female establishments, ranged from 0.34 to 0.71 officers per inmate. This variation reflects differences in workload, scale and the particular facilities contained in establishments. Over the past three years, the ratios at Her Majesty's Prison Gloucester and at the five local prisons nearest to it in size, by number of inmates, were as follows :
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N
Officers per inmate
|1 April 1988|1 April 1989|1 April 1990|1 April 1991
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gloucester |0.45 |0.45 |0.44 |0.48
Bedford |0.50 |0.54 |0.56 |0.68
Shrewsbury |0.33 |0.44 |0.42 |0.53
Leicester<1> |0.49 |0.54 |0.63 |0.70
Reading |0.40 |0.51 |0.56 |0.55
Swansea |0.39 |0.51 |0.57 |0.53
<1> Including special unit.
Private Prisons
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what he considers to be appropriate profit levels in privately run penal establishments.
Mrs. Rumbold : My right hon. Friend will take a view on what profit levels are appropriate when considering bids for the operation of Wolds remand prison. The profit level in any agreed contract would, however, be regarded as commercially confidential.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to provide for the proper training of managers, social workers and guards in privately run penal establishments ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : The director and other custodial staff of any contracted-out prison would require training to a level specifically approved by my right hon. Friend. The training requirement for Wolds remand prison is set out in schedule 3(b ) of the tender documents and is available in the Library. Any social workers engaged by contractors would require the qualifications of their profession.
Mr. Alex Carlile : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners he expects to be situated in privately run penal establishments by 31 December 1994 ; and if he will make a statement.
Mrs. Rumbold : On present plans the management of Wolds remand prison, which will hold some 300 prisoners, would be contracted out in 1992. No decisions have yet been taken about any extension of contracting out. Any such proposals would be subject to parliamentary approval in accordance with the provisions of the Criminal Justice Bill.
River Tweed (Boats)
Mr. Beith : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received any proposals for bye-laws to be confirmed relating to the launching of boats in the River Tweed in the borough of Berwick-upon -Tweed.
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Haslar Project
Mr. Fraser : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons he has withdrawn the Home Office grant for the Haslar project concerned with refugees.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 3 May at column 340.
Somalis
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet the Merseyside immigration unit to discuss the number of Somalis who are seeking to join their family in Liverpool.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : My right hon. Friend and I do not consider that a meeting at this time would be productive. If there are any particular problems of concern to the Merseyside immigration and advice unit, we should be happy to consider any written representation it wishes to make.
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Somali citizens are seeking settlement in (a) Liverpool and (b) Merseyside at the latest date.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The available information is of the number of Somali nationals granted settlement in the United Kingdom, figures for which are published in table 15 of the Home Office Command Paper "Control of Immigration : Statistics United Kingdom 1989"--Cmnd. 1124--a copy of which is in the Library.
Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average waiting time for Somali refugees to join their relatives in Liverpool at the most recent date.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : The average time between receipt of an application in the asylum division and a decision is 16 months.
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Mr. Parry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to improve replies from Lunar house to solicitors and community bodies concerning Somalis seeking settlement in the United Kingdom.Mr. Peter Lloyd : Because of very large-scale increases in the number of asylum applications from Somalis and other nationalities and the concession operated by the Government for Somalis seeking to join their families in this country, a large amount of work continues to be generated in the asylum division of the immigration and nationality department. On 26 April my right hon. Friend announced a nearly fivefold increase in staff resources for this division. It will take time to recruit and train such a large number of additional staff, but I would expect that in due course decisions will be able to be taken more quickly than at present.
Breathalysers
Sir Ian Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions, advice or other forms of commercial or contractual restrictions have been issued by his Department to the manufacturers or distributors of breathalysers in the United Kingdom on the retail supply of such devices to the public ; and if he will list the respective authorities on which they are based.
Mr. Peter Lloyd : No such instructions have been issued.
Asylum
Mr. Darling : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list by nationality the numbers of nationals seeking asylum in the United Kingdom whose applications have been outstanding for (a) one month, (b) six months, (c) 12 months, (d) 18 months and (e) 24 months ; and, of these, how many are in detention ;
(2) if he will list the number of asylum seekers by nationality detained at (a) Hardmondsworth, (b) Haslar and (c) HM prisons for a period in excess of (i) one month, (ii) two months, (iii) three months, (iv) four months, (v) five months, (vi) six months and (vii) seven months.
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Mr. Peter Lloyd [holding answer 1 May 1991] : A breakdown by nationality of the number of asylum applications which have currently been awaiting a decision for less than 12 months is not readily available because of delays in recording. Approximate estimates of applications awaiting a decision for between 12 and 24 months are given in table A. Reliable information on cases outstanding for more than 24 months is not available.
Available information on asylum applicants detained is given in table B. No applicants currently detained have been in detention for more than 18 months.
Table A
Approximate estimates<1><2> of asylum applicants awaiting a
decision in
the United Kingdom for between 12 and 24 months, by nationality
and length of time outstanding
Number of persons
|Outstanding for|Outstanding for
|between 12 and |between 18 and
|18 months<3> |24 months<3>
------------------------------------------------------------------
Angolan |160 |110
Bangladeshi |10 |*
Colombian |20 |5
Czechoslovakian |* |15
Ethiopian |220 |155
Ghanaian |320 |150
Indian |555 |280
Iranian |65 |95
Iraqi |50 |35
Lebanese |10 |5
Libyan |* |10
Pakistani |280 |40
Polish |5 |10
Seychellois |10 |10
Somalian |125 |150
South African |10 |5
Sri Lankan |1,415 |650
Sudanese |95 |60
Turkish |210 |345
Ugandan |465 |250
Zairois |750 |270
Other and unknown
nationality |210 |170
|------- |-------
Grand Total |4,990 |2,810
<1> As at 26 April 1991. Figures rounded to the nearest 5, with
*' =less than 3.
<2> Including associated dependants.
<3> Figures for African countries may understate because of
delays in recording applications: those for other countries may
overstate, because of under-recording of decisions made earlier.
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Table B: Asylum applicants detained<1>, by nationality, place of detention and length of detention
Number of persons
Nationality |Harmondsworth<2>|Haslar<2> |Her Majesty's |Total
|prisons<2>
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(i) Detained for between one and two months
Angolan |2 |- |- |2
Bangladeshi |5 |- |7 |12
Colombian |- |1 |- |1
Gambian |- |- |1 |1
Ghanaian |- |1 |- |1
Indian |- |1 |4 |5
Nigerian |1 |- |1 |2
Pakistani |- |- |2 |2
Turkish |- |1 |6 |7
Zairois |- |1 |1 |2
Nationality doubtful |- |- |1 |1
-------
Total |8 |5 |23 |36
(ii) Detained for between two and three months
Albanian |- |1 |- |1
Angolan |1 |- |- |1
Bangladeshi |5 |- |1 |6
Colombian |1 |- |- |1
Ethiopian |- |1 |- |1
Ghanaian |8 |3 |- |11
Guyanan |- |- |1 |1
Indian |- |1 |- |1
Iraqi |- |1 |- |1
Nigerian |- |2 |- |2
Turkish |- |1 |2 |3
Zairois |2 |1 |- |3
-------
Total |17 |11 |4 |32
(iii) Detained for between three and four months
Algerian |- |1 |- |1
Angolan |- |- |3 |3
Bulgarian |- |1 |- |1
Egyptian |- |1 |- |1
Ghanaian |- |- |1 |1
Indian |- |- |1 |1
Iranian |- |- |1 |1
Lebanese |- |- |1 |1
Romanian |2 |- |- |2
Sri Lankan |1 |- |- |1
Turkish |- |- |1 |1
-------
Total |3 |3 |8 |14
(iv) Detained for between four and five months
Algerian |- |1 |- |1
Angolan |1 |- |- |1
Ghanaian |- |1 |- |1
Turkish |- |- |1 |1
Zairois |- |- |2 |2
-------
Total |1 |2 |3 |6
(v) Detained for between five and six months
Ghanaian |- |- |6 |6
Indian |- |- |1 |1
Nigerian |- |1 |- |1
-------
Total |- |1 |7 |8
(vi) Detained for between six and seven months
Bangladeshi |- |1 |- |1
Ghanaian |- |1 |- |1
Pakistani |1 |- |1 |2
1 |1 |1 |3
-------
Total |2 |3 |2 |7
(vii) Detained for between seven and twelve months
Angolan |- |2 |- |2
Colombian |1 |- |- |1
Ghanaian |- |5 |- |5
Jordanian |- |1 |- |1
Turkish |- |1 |- |1
Zairois |1 |1 |4 |6
-------
Total |2 |10 |4 |16
(viii) Detained for longer than twelve months
Ghanaian |- |1 |- |1
-------
Total |- |1 |- |1
<1>Persons detained, as at 26 April 1991, solely under the powers contained in Schedules 2 or 3 of the
Immigration Act 1971. In some cases the asylum application will have been lodged subsequent to the
applicant being detained. The figures include both detained asylum applicants who applied at ports, and
those detained in after-entry enforcement work. For the latter, the figures exclude persons whose asylum
application was refused but who remained in detention.
<2>Any asylum applicant detained for longer than one month is held in one of these locations.
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Football Licensing Authority
Mr. Pendry : To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many administrative staff are currently in post at the Football Licensing Authority ; how many more administrative staff it is planned to appoint ; and what will be the time scale of such appointments.
Mr. John Patten [holding answer 8 May 1991] : The number of staff employed by the Football Licensing Authority is a matter entirely within the authority's own discretion. I understand, however, that seven administrative staff are currently in post, and that, while there are no current plans to increase that number, the position will be kept under review.
HOUSE OF COMMONS
Director of Works
Mr. Dalyell : To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed as representing the House of Commons Commission, how much has been paid to headhunters Saxton Bampfylde for the process of selecting a Director of Works for the Palace of Westminster.
PRIME MINISTER
Ministerial Visit
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Prime Minister when he next plans to make an official visit to the Paisley, South constituency ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : I have no immediate plans to do so. I am visiting Scotland today to attend the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Association conference.
Nuclear Test Veterans
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Prime Minister if he has any plans to meet representatives of the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : I have no plans to do so. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins) on 18 April 1991 at columns 568-69.
Press Office
Mr. McMaster : To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the criteria used to govern the activities of his press office ; and if he will make a statement.
The Prime Minister : My press office operates under the same rules as govern the activities of other civil servants--namely, the civil service pay and conditions of service code and the December 1987 Armstrong note on the duties and responsibilities of civil servants in relation to Ministers. Information officers are involved, as a proper part of their duties, in the processes of presentation of Government policies and decisions.
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Economic Regions
Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop : To ask the Prime Minister (1) which Minister is responsible for keeping under review the relevance of the boundaries of the economic regions ; and what is the procedure for altering those boundaries ;
(2) whether he will publish a table showing which departments (a) collect or publish statistics based on the economic regions and (b) allocate grants, wholly or in part, on a regional basis, using the economic regions for such allocations, and statistics based on such regions.
The Prime Minister : In considering any proposal to alter the boundaries of the 11 standard regions of the United Kingdom, the Secretary of State for the Environment would take the lead in consultation with colleagues.
A large number of Departments collect or publish statistics based on standard regions. "Regional Trends 25" (HMSO) brings together a very wide range of such statistics and attributes them to the appropriate departmental sources. It is available in the House of Commons Library.
Grants are not allocated, wholly or in part, on the basis of standard regions in England.
Antarctica
Mr. Paice : To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the recent Antarctic meeting in Madrid.
The Prime Minister : The Government warmly welcome the outcome of the Madrid meeting and hope that the draft protocol tabled there will provide the basis for the comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment which has always been the Government's objective. Of particular importance are the provisions for a ban on mineral activity for 50 years, and mechanisms for a review of the ban after 50 years, or before if everyone agrees. The results of these provisions would be that there can never be mining in Antarctica unless all the present consultative parties agree.
NORTHERN IRELAND
Departmental Staff
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show the number of persons employed by the Northern Ireland Office in Northern Ireland and the areas of Northern Ireland from which they are drawn, the number of Roman Catholics, the number of Protestants and the number of others and the religious composition of the population of the areas from which the persons are drawn between the ages of 18 and 64 years.
Dr. Mawhinney : A significant proportion of the home civil service staff employed in the Northern Ireland Office in Northern Ireland are from Great Britain. They were educated outside Northern Ireland and their community background has not been determined. It would not be appropriate to provide the information sought.
Mr. William Ross : To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show the number of persons employed by the civil service in Northern Ireland, the areas of Northern Ireland from
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which they are drawn, the number of Roman Catholics, the number of Protestants and the number of others, the religious composition of the areas from which they are drawn in the age group 18 to 64 years and the religious composition of the Northern Ireland population in the same age group.Dr. Mawhinney : The numbers and composition in terms of the community background of Northern Ireland civil servants are given in a regular series of reports issued by the Northern Ireland civil service's equal opportunities unit, the most recent of which was published during October 1989. Copies of this and the two previous reports are in the Library.
The third report, besides giving information about the numbers and community background of Northern Ireland civil servants, also gave an estimate as to labour availability. For this it drew on the continuous household survey for the years 1985 to 1987 regarding economically active persons aged 16 and over. Details for the age group 18 to 64 are not readily available. The table gives the relevant information.
|Percentage |Percentage |Percentage
|Protestant |Roman Catholic|Others
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Northern Ireland
Civil Service |55.3 |34.5 |10.2
Economically active
population estimate |60.9 |35.5 |3.6
In the main, the Northern Ireland civil service recruits on a Northern Ireland basis. The community background of successful candidates plays no part in determining where such candidates are posted. For this reason, it has not been considered appropriate to monitor applications and/or appointments other than on a Northern Ireland basis. Information regarding the community background of staff based on the areas of Northern Ireland from which they are drawn is not therefore available. Such analyses could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost.
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS
Cambodia (Peace Plan)
Mrs. Clwyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on additions to the permanent five peace plan for Cambodia, proposed recently by Japan.
Mr. Lennox-Boyd : We welcome Japan's active involvement in the peace process. We are carefully considering the Japanese proposals concerning the ceasefire arrangements and measures to prevent the recurrence of genocide, although both the state of Cambodia and China have expressed reservations.
TRANSPORT
Breathalysers
Sir Ian Lloyd : To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will now take steps to permit and encourage the advertising and retail sale of self-testing breathalyser devices and procedures.
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Mr. Chope : Those wishing to advertise and sell self-testing breathalyser devices are free to do so. As in any commercial endeavour, the demands of the marketplace are likely to provide the most effective form of encouragement.
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