One for the road

Road safety campaigners were angered by the opening of the first pub at a motorway service station, on the M40 in Buckinghamshire.
— Drink-driving campaigns pre-date the motor-car: it was in 1872 that the first law was enacted that made it an offence to drive carriages, horses, cattle and steam engines under the influence of alcohol.
— The law didn’t catch up with motor cars until 1925, when a more general law made it an offence to drive any vehicle while drunk.
— The first drink-driving advert on TV appeared in 1964, warning drivers that after eight whiskies they were 25 times as likely to have an accident. A blood alcohol limit did not arrive until two years later.

Union dues

The Police Federation was revealed to be sitting on assets of £95 million. How does this compare with other trade unions?

Source: Certification Office

Crowded house

The percentage of 20- to 34-year-olds living with their parents has increased from 21% in 1996 to 26% now. Who still lives with their parents?
— 32% of men, but only 19% of women of this age group are in this position.
— The proportion living with their parents is lowest in London (22%), where house prices are highest, and highest in Northern Ireland (36%).
— International comparisons are simpler for 25- to 34-year-olds. In the UK, 15% live with their parents, compared with 2% in Denmark and 68% in Croatia.
Source: ONS

Travelling people

The Office of National Statistics issued some figures on Gypsies and Irish Travellers (defined as those who identified as such in the 2011 census).
— 61% live in a ‘whole house or bungalow’, compared with 24% in a ‘caravan/temporary structure’.
— 47% are economically active (compared with 63% of the population as a whole).
— 60% of those over 16 have no qualifications (UK as a whole: 23%).
— 70% said they were in good health (compared with 80% in the UK as a whole).