Peer surprised at industry's lack of lobbying on drink-drive laws

A Tory peer has voiced surprise at the "little effort" the drinks industry is putting in to persuade the government not to change the drink-drive laws.

Earl Attlee, a government transport spokesman in the Lords, admitted the industry was lobbying, but "not as much as it could".

He was responding to Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town in the House of Lords yesterday, who urged him to resist the flattery of the drinks industry.

But Lord Attlee said: "I have had no blandishments from the drinks industry and am actually quite surprised by how little effort it is putting into lobbying the government."

The government is currently considering a report by legal expert Sir Peter North, who has recommended the drink-drive limit should be halved.

However a number of pub trade figures have publicly voiced concern about a possible cut. And trade group representatives gave evidence to the Transport Committee last month arguing changes would cause confusion and be "catastrophic" for pubs.

Attlee said the government has not reached any conclusions but is aiming to respond to North's report by the "end of the year".

Lord Clinton-Davis asked Attlee to acknowledge that "hundreds of lives would be saved" if the limit was cut.

Lord Attlee replied: "We will consider the report very carefully."

But he added to speculation the government may ignore North's recommendation, by suggesting a cut would not affect the current state of affairs.

"There are thought to be two groups of drinkers," he said. "There are regulated drinkers who… arrange their affairs so they do not need to drink and drive.

"There are also unregulated drinkers…who have no intention of adhering to the drink-drive legislation."

The review is also considering the laws around drug-driving - and Lord Attlee admitted it was "increasing".