Sir, - In February I wrote a letter to your paper seeking readers' views on drink-drive levels. At the time the European Parliament voted by a majority to ask the European commission to bring forward a directive for a harmonised blood alcohol content (BAC) of no more than 0.5 mg/ml which would mean a change in the UK level.

The commission has since actually decided to make this a recommendation only, so it is up to national governments to implement.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the many readers who wrote to me regarding this matter. Overall there was about a two to one split amongst your readers in favour of adopting a general legal level across Europe. Most people thought that the high occurrence of road deaths due to alcohol consumption (about one-quarter of all EU road deaths) was something that needed to be seriously addressed.

The reasons why some people opposed this were various but in general they were quite comfortable that this sort of decision should be made at a European rather than a national level.

Some people were concerned that other driving laws are not harmonised, for example speeding limits, but that they should be. This is an interesting point because the purpose of adopting a general level across Europe is that people when in an accident in another country can often blame ignorance of the local law, for example, where the limit is higher in one country compared to another. Other respondents were concerned about the impact on rural pubs.

The main elements of the commission's recommendation are: 1, all member states should adopt a general legal maximum limit of no higher than 0.5 parts per thousand. Only four member states (United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy and Luxembourg) still retain a maximum legal blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.8 parts per thousand; 2, a lower legal maximum limit of no higher than 0.2 parts per thousand should be adopted for inexperienced drivers (those who have been in possession of a full driving licence for less than two years), drivers of large goods vehicles and buses, and riders of two-wheel motor vehicles; 3, all member states should adopt random breath testing to deter drivers from drinking.

They should also seek to ensure that every driver has a good chance of being tested once every three years, in accordance with the current best practice standard.

DIANA WALLIS

MEP for Yorkshire and Humberside,

Land of Green Ginger,

Hull.