Plymouth Sutton MP Linda Gilroy has been taking an in-depth at Alcohol Disorder Zones.

This Monday, May 12, Linda sat on a House of Commons Delegated Legislation Committee tasked with scrutinising the Draft Local Authorities (Alcohol Disorder Zones) Regulations 2008.

Alcohol Disorder Zones have been designed to enable local authorities, in partnership with the police, to tackle high levels of alcohol related crime and disorder within a defined zone by requiring licence holders in the zone to pay for additional police and local authority services.

Although seen as a last resort, alcohol disorder zones add another tool to enable the government, police and local authorities to tackle alcohol related anti social behaviour.

They build on measures introduced in the Labour Government’s Licensing Act 2003, which gave licensing authorities a wide range of powers to tackle alcohol related crime, nuisance and disorder, including violent crime and under age sales.

The Conservative members of the Committee voted against the measure – and were not prepared to state whether they even supported the principle of alcohol disorder zones.

Linda Gilroy said “There are many licensed premises that take a very constructive approach to preventing alcohol related anit- social behaviour, for example by not selling to children or drunks and by ensuring their customers leave quietly”.

“However, where there are problem-premises, it is only right that those licensed premises which are part of the problem should also be part of the solution”.

“After careful consideration, I have no hesitation in supporting this measure. Indeed, I believe the mere introduction of the measure might concentrate peoples minds into getting together to tackle this problem”.

You can read the full Hansard text of the Committee's debate here.

15 May 2008