STRUCTURE
OF THE
REPORT
28. This report re-examines
the 1988 draft Directive on harmonising the permitted BAC for
drivers at 50mg/100ml, which is still before the Council. Reducing
the permitted BAC for drivers is only one of a number of potential
countermeasures to drink driving, both in the United Kingdom and
across the European Union, and cannot be considered in isolation.
We have therefore also examined other countermeasures, in particular,
penalties; enforcement; and publicity and education. In reconsidering
the draft Directive, we have examined whether European Union involvement
in this area is appropriate in the wider and more general context
of how to tackle the problem of drink driving. The conclusion
of our 1989 report that the proposal was ultra vires has
been reversed by subsequent Treaty amendments (see paragraphs
79-80).
29. In Part 3 of this
report we consider the views of witnesses. In Part 4 we give our
opinion and make recommendations.
30. The membership of
Sub-Committee B, which conducted this enquiry, is given in Appendix 1.
Minutes of Proceedings of Sub-Committee B deliberating on the
draft Report are printed in Appendix 2. Minutes of proceedings
of the European Communities Committee deliberating on the draft
Report are printed in Appendix 3. Witnesses are listed in Appendix
4. The text of the original Proposal for a Council Directive relating
to the maximum permitted blood alcohol concentration for vehicle
drivers (COM(88) 707 final) is printed in Appendix 5. The evidence
is printed with this report.
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