SCOTLAND: Call to force pubs and clubs to pay for 'drunk tanks'

Call to force pubs and clubs to pay for 'drunk tanks'

PUBS and clubs in Scotland could be made to pay for special centres where drunks can sleep off their intoxication overnight.

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said the "polluter pays" principle meant those who profit from the sale of alcohol should pick up the cost of its consequences.

And he said there were currently too many drunks clogging up police cells and accident and emergency departments when they did not need to be there.

Mr MacAskill has already floated the idea of a polluter pays approach to meet the cost of extra late-night policing.

Money would be raised through higher fees for late licences for pubs and clubs in antisocial behaviour hotspots.

But now he wants the principle extended to cover overnight recovery centres which would take the strain off the police and hospitals.

He said: "We operate these kind of places in Edinburgh every New Year when there is a tented area set up for people who have over-indulged and need to sleep it off.

"But every weekend, A&E units are full of people who don't need to be there."

He said there had been discussions about a year-round centre in Edinburgh, but plans had been frustrated by a lack of cash.

He said: "These things are not cheap to run, but they do make significant savings in resources for the hard-pressed A&E departments and police cells, neither of which are appropriate for those who are drunk and incapable.

"We need to provide facilities and that comes at a cost. I believe that cost should be borne by those who profit from the sale of alcohol. The council taxpayer has enough to pay for."

Mr MacAskill made his comments after visiting a "designated place" scheme in Aberdeen yesterday, one of only two in Scotland where people found drunk and incapable are taken rather than a hospital or police station.

The British Beer and Pub Association today claimed alcohol consumption in the UK has fallen for the second year running.

It produced figures showing a 3.3 per cent year-on-year dip last year, the largest in 15 years. Drinkers got through on average 8.9 litres of alcohol per person in 2006 compared to 9.4 litres in 2004.

• Mr MacAskill today praised the work of a Leith-based project in tackling alcohol and drug issues through peer education.

Fast Forward trains young people to communicate with other young people in a bid to prevent misuse. It currently has around 15 volunteers who are invited to youth clubs and schools to spread the message.

A spokeswoman for Fast Forward said: "One of the difficulties with health education is young people tend to disengage - they see it as just something else coming from the teacher.

"Young people are more likely to listen to other young people."

Mr MacAskill said: "This is an exciting and encouraging project because it engages a range of young people - some as service users and some as volunteers providing peer education in areas such as substance misuse - to the benefit of the wider community."

"We want to promote positive social behaviour as well as tackling antisocial behaviour, and this project does just that."

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