Clause 15 - Designated public places
Criminal Justice and Police Bill
4:45 pm
Mr Charles Clarke (Minister of State, Home Office; Norwich South, Labour)
The wording is quite clear. Subsection (2) states:
``A local authority may for the purposes of subsection (1) by order identify any public place in their area if they are satisfied that''
a nuisance or disorder
``has been associated with the consumption of intoxicating liquor in that place.''
The key word is ``satisfied''. What is the basis of that satisfaction? I think that it is data and evidence. The data and evidence that might be presented by an accident and emergency department come into that category. There is no requirement for the local authority to send its own employees to look at particular areas. It can consider material from the police, the health authority or another local authority.