To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-17512 by Kenny MacAskill on 12 November 2008, how many off-licences in the Lothians that were found to have sold alcohol to under-18s had further tests to determine whether they continued to do so, broken down by local authority.

The information requested is not held centrally. It is common practice for the police to retest any premises which fails a test purchase. However, this is an operational decision taken by the relevant police force.

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have imposed a ban on the consumption of alcohol in public places and in what year each ban took effect.

Following a successful pilot in the use of byelaws to prohibit drinking in designated parts of Galashiels, Motherwell and Dundee, local authorities were invited in 1993 to submit proposals for similar byelaws under powers contained in the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

There are currently 30 local authorities that have alcohol byelaws in operation. These byelaws cover over 480 settlements and local authorities amend the byelaws on a regular basis.

Set out below are the local authorities which have alcohol byelaws currently in operation and the date their first byelaw came into operation: