§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the effects of the relaxation of the licensing laws in Scotland in 1976 and 1977, and whether they will make a statement.
§ The Minister of State, Scottish Office (The Earl of Mansfield)The Government have made no recent assessment of the effects of the relaxation of the licensing laws in Scotland in 1976 and 1977. An earlier survey, carried out immediately before the coming into operation of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976, with follow-up surveys in March 1977 and November 1978, indicated that there was no significant change in the average consumption of alcohol, since those drinking tended to do so at a more leisurely pace, and supported the suggestion that changes in the licensing laws had produced no adverse effect.