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Govt admits 'mixed' results for 24-hour licensing laws

04/03/2008

The government has admitted new 24-hour licensing laws have achieved mixed results.

Culture secretary Andy Burnham said the new laws had led to an increase in the amount of violent crime committed in the early hours but that overall crime and alcohol consumption were down.

Mr Burnham admitted that more was needed to be done to allow responsible drinkers to opportunity to enjoy the late licenses without encouraging violent and anti-social behaviour.

The culture secretary said in a written statement to the House of Commons today that: "This first review of the Licensing Act reveals a mixed picture."

"Its introduction has not led to the widespread problems some feared. Overall, crime and alcohol consumption are down. But alcohol-related violence has increased in the early hours of the morning and some communities have seen a rise in disorder."

"Our main conclusion is that people are using the freedoms but people are not sufficiently using the considerable powers granted by the Act to tackle problems, and that there is a need to rebalance action towards enforcement and crack down on irresponsible behaviour," Mr Burnham said.

Prime minister Gordon Brown called for a review of the Licensing Act when he took over from Tony Blair in June last year.

The Act allows pubs and clubs to apply for late, up to 24-hour, licenses to sell alcohol to the public.

Alcohol-related crime has fallen by one per cent in total as a result, although the amount of violent crime between 03:00 and 06:00 has increased.

"While crimes involving violence may have reduced over the evening and night time period, the evidence also points to increases in offences, including violent crimes, reported between 3am and 6am. This represents four per cent of night-time offences," Mr Burnham said.

Conservative shadow culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt was critical of the new licensing law, saying: "24-hour licensing was a mistake. The government should admit as much and give local people a proper say on licensing issues so they can win back control of their town centres."

Shadow home secretary David Davis also criticised the government claiming Mr Brown in "denial" over the consequences of the drinking laws.

"The damning evidence against the Government's drinking policy is overwhelming and comes from all sides: from the police, local authorities, statistics on hospital admission and the Home Office itself," Mr Davis said.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne meanwhile said tougher enforcement was required.

"The basic problem is not that we need new powers and penalties – it's that we need to enforce the law that we've already got," he said.