The Northern Ireland Government has taken the initiative and is to lower the limit of alcohol in the blood of drivers to 50mg per 100ml of blood from 2010.

The UK Government has so far refused to lower its own much higher limit of 80mg per 100ml blood, or to pass to the Scottish Parliament the power to vary the limit as it applies in Scotland.

Highlands and Islands MSP, Dave Thompson, has long campaigned for the Scottish limit to be lowered to the level now adopted by Northern Ireland.

He has now written to the UK Transport Minister highlighting as examples the UK should follow both the Northern Ireland decision alongside the Republic of Ireland’s application of mandatory breath testing at crash scenes.

The Calman Commission proposed allowing the Scottish Parliament to control the drink driving limit in Scotland – but despite the Scottish Government preparing the necessary orders, the UK Government has so far refused to implement them. This is, not unusally, despite public declarations to the contrary. In the Queen’s Speech, the Queen had to suck her teeth and read aloud Gordon Brown’s – unspecific – intention to implement Calman Commission recommendations.

Mr Thompson has now written to the UK Government, calling for:

• The transfer of powers to the Scottish Parliament for legislation over drink driving
• Or the immediate reduction of the drink drive limit to 50 mg/ 100 ml as in Northern Ireland
• Compulsory breath tests for anyone involved in a crash.

He says: ‘If it is right for Northern Ireland, right for the Republic of Ireland and right for the rest of the EU there is no good reason for keeping the drink driving limit in the UK at a higher level.

‘If the UK government won’t do it they should pass the powers to Holyrood as soon as possible. Saving lives is too important for parties to play political games.

‘Police, medical organisations, the European Union and the WHO all want to see the limit cut and enforcement improved.  If the UK government won’t do it for Great Britain then they should at least let Scotland have the responsibilities to do it instead’.

Earlier today, Dave Thompson also lodged Parliamentary Motion in the Scottish Parliament urging the lowering of the limit or transfer of Ministerial powers.

Note: Irvine Welsh of Trainspotting fame, has announced his support for the Scottish Government’s plan to impose a minimum price for alcohol.

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