Clause 13 - Designation of alcohol disorder zones
Violent Crime Reduction Bill
1:15 pm
Stewart Hosie (Dundee East, Scottish National Party)
Can the Minister cast a little more light on the designation of alcohol disorder zones, which was touched on briefly in amendment No. 44. There is some concern about the ability to designate an alcohol disorder zone in an area where alcohol is consumed unrelated to where it is purchased. I know that we have been through the arguments a number of times, but I am not sure whether there is clarity on one particular point. Many of us have had representations from the supermarket, bingo club or whatever. One such example was brought to my attention two weeks ago by a bingo operator that operates in the vicinity of a municipal car park, but has no authority over the car park and no responsibility for it. Youths frequently buy alcohol elsewhere, go to the car park and cause disorder. When the police are called, as they frequently are, they take note that the location is outside that particular bingo hall. I know that that is already a problem, because the operators have had robust discussions with the local authority licensing committee because although the trouble is nothing to do with them, the police reports show a large number of incidents in the vicinity of their bingo hall.
The question that I hope the Minister can answer is: what consideration has been given to the possibility of that bingo operator, or any other operator, taking legal recourse for compensation for the loss of revenue if its licence is suspended, revoked, or amended in some way in cognisance of the disorder in an area for which it is not responsible and over which it has no authority? What consideration has been given to compensation being sought by suppliers, not least the Scottish whisky industry, whose revenues might also go down as a result of licences being revoked, suspended or amended within licensed premises near trouble in areas for which they are not responsible and over which they have no authority? It is a serious point about which many hon. Members have received representations.