§ 22. Mr. PawseyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the deadline for the experimental ban on drinking in public places in Coventry and other areas; what representations he has received as to the success of the experiment; and what has been the reduction in prosecutions for offences involving drunkenness in those areas as a result of the experimental byelaws.
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§ Mr. John PattenExpiry dates for the experimental byelaw, which is in force in seven areas, range from 31 October 1990 to 16 July 1991. In each case we shall review the results some months before the date when the byelaw would lapse and reach conclusions on the benefits for these and other areas. We shall seek to determine how far a relationship can be established with changes in prosecutions for offences involving drunkeness, but this will not be straightforward because the byelaw is in force only in certain designated zones within the seven local authority areas, for which separate statistics for prosecutions have not been kept in the past.
We have received requests for the byelaw from 105 local authorities.
§ 27. Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he will be taking to implement the proposals contained in the Prison Reform Trust's report "Drink, Delinquency and Prison", for alcohol counselling and education for offenders with drink problems in young offender institutions.
§ Mr. MellorThe recommendations contained in this report are being considered. Regime activities in young offender institutions seek to assist inmates to develop personal responsibility and self-discipline and a more positive lifestyle. Many institutions already tackle problems of alcohol abuse as part of their education and training programmes.