Background to the Bill:

The Violent Crime Reduction Bill represents the latest legislative move in the government’s war on anti social behaviour, with measures to address alcohol-fuelled violence, the sale, possession and use of weapons, and mobile phone piracy.

The Bill includes provisions to issue persistent drunken offenders with drinking banning orders, and closure notices to premises selling alcohol to children.

Through the introduction of ‘alcohol disorder zones’, the Bill aims to pass some of the increased costs of policing city centres and violence “hot spots”, with licensees paying an increased fee in such areas.

To combat the rise in gun crime the Bill proposes stringent crackdowns on the sale and possession of replica weapons, and an increase in the minimum age for purchase of air weapons.

The sale of knives to anyone under the age of eighteen will become an offence, and members of staff at school will be able to search pupils they believe to be carrying a weapon.

The Bill has received support from both opposition parties, although some feel measures do not go far enough.

Stakeholder Responses:

Alcohol Concern

Centres its response on the link between alcohol and violent crime

Drink Banning Orders

• welcomes the firmer stance being taken towards unacceptable behaviour whilst drunk but suggests that it represents only half the solution.
  
  
• calls for treatment for offenders that need it and encouragement of responsibility for all other offenders.

Alcohol Disorder Zones

• welcomes the concept of the new zones as a step forwards in holding Licensees accountable for the impact their business has on local communities.
  
  
• calls for preventing problems from arising in the first place and  increased  powers  for  Local Authorities to shape the development  of  the  night  time economy in their local areas. 

Persistent Sales of Alcohol to Children

• welcomes the increased focus on Industry Irresponsibility as under-age drinking is a very serious and worsening problem in the UK. The closure of premises who persistently sell to young people will help to send a message that this is a serious offence.
  
  
• calls for increased enforcement of the legislation
  
  
• also calls for a more proactive approach with regular checks for retailer compliance.

Further concerns

• the Bill makes no mention of Tackling Problem Drinking or Changing Practice as well as policy

British Retail Consortium

The retail industry is committed to working with government to promote sensible drinking and combat alcohol misuse. 

However it has key concerns over parts of the Violent Crime Bill as specific clauses apply additional burdens on retailers despite there being no substantiated link between the sale of alcohol by the off trade and the type of night-time disorder that is being tackled by the Home Office:

• 12(1) allows for charging mechanisms to apply to all holders of premises licences for the sale of alcohol by retail within Alcohol Disorder Zones.
  
  
• 12(7) gives the Secretary of State permission to apply exclusions from this clause by secondary regulations. He is restricted in only allowing exclusions for premises where the sale of alcohol is neither the principal use of the premises nor where people enter the premises for the ‘main reason’ of purchasing alcohol.

While the second sub-clause has the potential to exempt the majority of retail off-licences, apart from those that specialise in the sale of alcohol, the Home Office has offered mixed messages on whether secondary regulations would grant such an exemption. As the Bill stands, all licensed premises will be liable for a charge where an ADZ is created.

The BRC seeks clarification from the government that:

• the ‘off-trade’ does not significantly contribute to alcohol related disorder in city centres, and;
  
  
• should therefore be exempt from Alcohol Disorder Zones.

The British Retail Consortium suggests that:

• there is no link between off-trade and disorder
  
  
• retailers are responsible
  
  
• there are new and existing powers to tackle problem retailers
  
  
• Alcohol Disorder Zones (ADZ’s) cause unreasonable costs to retail
  
  
• ADZ’s do not acknowledge differences between the on and off trade
  
  
• there are many practical concerns over the operation of the legislation
  
  
• the very principle of ADZs is flawed

NUT, SHA and the NASUWT

These teaching unions all broadly welcome teachers, head teachers and schools being given more support in maintaining good order

They call for care in the technical framing of procedure that does not expose teachers and schools to litigation, or pupils to inappropriate body searches

LGA

The LGA welcomes the government’s commitment to reducing violent crime and we are pleased that the bill recognises the leading role councils can play in creating safer communities in partnership with the criminal justice system

Additional powers given to councils to address local alcohol-related problems will be useful tools. However, it is important that enforcement measures are not implemented in isolation and must go alongside projects with a more considered approach to the deep-rooted causes of binge-drinking. For example Drinking Banning Orders (DBOs) could be combined with treatment orders

We have further concerns around how the new levying system will work and additional financial burdens for local councils

Disability Rights Commission

The DRC supports the introduction of measures to ensure communities feel secure and have the tools to penalise those people that threaten the safety and comfort of others

The DRC is concerned that there is a pattern of discrimination against disabled people emerging from the use of ASBOs that is an unintended consequence of their implementation

The DRC is seeking to ensure that Drunken Behaviour Orders (DBOs) do not further discriminate against disabled people

The DRC believes that all Behaviour Orders (ASBOs and DBOs) need to be effectively monitored to reveal incidences of misuse against disabled people. We also believe that measures to address misuse are required to prevent the further discrimination of disabled people

British Property Federation

Alcohol Disorder Zones -

The pejorative nature of the name risks damaging regeneration prospects.