Bill Next Week
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From Our Political Correspondent
AWHITE PAPER setting out the Government's proposals for commercial vehicle testing, plating and tougher drinkdrive laws, is to be presented to Parliament next week. The paper will foreshadow action to be taken in a road safety Bill which has been promised by the Ministry of Transport and will be published soon.
The Government hopes that, by presenting the paper just before Christmas, private motorists in particular will be persuaded to abide by the drinking " rules " it is proposed to lay down, probably by blood alcohol levels.
These levels will indicate the equivalents in pints of beer or single whiskies which the new law would tolerate.
There is already some apprehension about the scheme. Conservative MPs are watching closely in case the fixing of a drink threshold comes to be regarded instead as a legal licence to drink up to the limit and continue driving.