§ Mr. DewarTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy in respect of the decriminalisation of public drunkenness.
§ Mr. LangThe Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 gave the police power to take a drunken offender to a 335W designated place, as an alternative to arrest. The Government remain prepared to designate places as suitable for the care of drunken persons if the local statutory bodies so wish, and will in addition consider assisting with the capital costs of such projects. We have no proposals for further change to the criminal law in this regard.