§ Mr. Nigel EvansTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the trend of violence against landlords and landladies in public houses; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how many physical attacks on landlords or landladies of public houses were reported in 1991;
(3) if he will make it his policy to encourage magistrates to exclude from licensed premises those who are found guilty of violence against landlords or landladies of public houses.
§ Mr. JackNo central record is kept of crimes of violence against licensees and their staff on licensed premises. I am aware of concern about such violence, and that a number of steps have been taken by the licensed trade, in partnership with other agencies, against the problem. The Licensed Premises (Exclusion of Certain Persons) Act 1980 enables magistrates in England and Wales, when sentencing a person convicted of violence or threatened violence on licensed premises to make an "exclusion order" prohibiting him or her from entering578W those or any other specified premises for a period of between three months and two years without the express consent of the licensee. Sentencing in individual cases is entirely a matter for the courts in the light of all the circumstances of the offence and the offender.