Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 (Hansard, 6 July 1977)

§ 14. Mr. Rifkind
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement on the working of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976, with particular reference to Sunday opening.

§ The Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Harry Ewing)
The new licensing boards were set up with effect from 1st July, and the first occasion on which they can consider applications for Sunday opening of public houses is their statutory meeting in October. First indications about the longer opening hours, introduced last December, show that they have not led to an increase in drink-related offences, but the previous evening peak of offences after 10 p.m. seems to have shifted to a peak after 11 p.m.

§ Mr. Rifkind
Will the Under-Secretary undertake to monitor the effect of Sunday opening in Scotland so that the statistics for drunkenness and other offences connected with drink are not lost among general statistics?

§ Mr. Ewing
I thought that the hon. Member was going to say that this is one piece of Government legislation that has not affected business. The Government are considering the possibility of monitoring the effect of Sunday opening. At the moment we are analysing the result of a survey carried out in November last year and March this year.

§ Mr. Carmichael
It has been suggested that the peak of drink-related offences has shifted from 10 o'clock to 11 o'clock. Can the Minister be more specific? The experience in my area, which is fairly heavily populated with public houses, is that there is a more relaxed attitude to drink and that the spread of hours has led to fewer offences. Can the Minister give us some more detailed figures, if not today, at a later date?

§ Mr. Ewing
The number of offences related to drink has dropped. The number of drink and driving cases has dropped by 20 per cent. The number of accidents where it is suspected that the driver has taken drink and there is, therefore, a policeman on the scene has also dropped by 20 per cent. People are taking a more relaxed approach to drink. This is one of the redeeming features of the Government's action to reform the licensing laws.

§ Mr. Teddy Taylor
Is more, less, or just about the same amount of alcohol being consumed? Has the Minister included in the offences related to drink offences involving violence?

§ Mr. Ewing
In the first three months of 1977 25 million gallons of beer were consumed. That is exactly the same as the amount consumed in the first three months of 1976. The latest figures are for a longer drinking period, taking account of the extended hours.
We did not include crimes of violence in drink-related offences. That is because people may be charged with a different offence when they eventually appear in court. It is difficult to analyse such statistics.

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
Does not the phrase "more relaxed attitude towards drink" accurately describe the situation? Have not the people of Scotland shown a more responsible attitude towards drink? Does that not bear out the fact that we in Scotland do not require a paternalistic attitude to be taken in matters such as this?

§ Mr. Ewing
The hon. Member should not get too euphoric about the figures. The number of drink-related offences has decreased, and we are grateful for that, but they have decreased from very high levels. It would be wrong to suggest that we have solved the problem. We have not. No one should consider that we have solved any problems in this respect. I am prepared to amend my earlier answer and say that people are faking a more relaxed and responsible attitude towards drink. For this we axe grateful.