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| Review due of 24-hour licensing | Review due of 24-hour licensing |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A government review of the law which introduced 24-hour drinking to England and Wales is due to be published later. | |
| It is expected to say the Licensing Act is working well in most areas, but to recommend a crackdown on alcohol sales to the under-18s. | It is expected to say the Licensing Act is working well in most areas, but to recommend a crackdown on alcohol sales to the under-18s. |
| Ministers are expected to admit there are still some problem areas, but to say that overall the law has given sensible drinkers greater freedom. | Ministers are expected to admit there are still some problem areas, but to say that overall the law has given sensible drinkers greater freedom. |
| But critics say the policy has done nothing to prevent binge drinking. | But critics say the policy has done nothing to prevent binge drinking. |
| Fines increase | Fines increase |
| Gordon Brown announced a review of the Licensing Act shortly after becoming prime minister in June last year. | Gordon Brown announced a review of the Licensing Act shortly after becoming prime minister in June last year. |
| The law, which came into force in 2005, allows pubs and clubs to apply for later - or even 24-hour - licences to serve alcohol. | |
| The review is expected to give the policy a mark of seven out of 10, with "excellent" results in most areas. | The review is expected to give the policy a mark of seven out of 10, with "excellent" results in most areas. |
| People need to be re-educated about their drinking habits Tim Martin, Wetherspoon chairman | People need to be re-educated about their drinking habits Tim Martin, Wetherspoon chairman |
| Ministers will point to latest figures which suggest a fall of 1% in overall crime and of 10% in violent crime committed since licensing changed. | Ministers will point to latest figures which suggest a fall of 1% in overall crime and of 10% in violent crime committed since licensing changed. |
| A tougher system of red and yellow cards will be introduced for landlords and shop keepers breaching licensing laws. It would firstly impose conditions and ultimately revoke licences. | A tougher system of red and yellow cards will be introduced for landlords and shop keepers breaching licensing laws. It would firstly impose conditions and ultimately revoke licences. |
| Ahead of the review, the prime minister said it would include a "two strikes and you're out" rule for off-licences caught selling alcohol to people under 18. | Ahead of the review, the prime minister said it would include a "two strikes and you're out" rule for off-licences caught selling alcohol to people under 18. |
| And fines for people caught drinking in public places where it is banned will be increased from £500 to £2,500. | And fines for people caught drinking in public places where it is banned will be increased from £500 to £2,500. |
| 'Enforce the law' | 'Enforce the law' |
| But Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the Local Government Association which represents local authorities, said the idea that late-night licences would end binge drinking had totally failed. | But Sir Simon Milton, chairman of the Local Government Association which represents local authorities, said the idea that late-night licences would end binge drinking had totally failed. |
| He said policing resources were being stretched further into the night because of people who had been drinking. | He said policing resources were being stretched further into the night because of people who had been drinking. |
| Chairman of the Wetherspoon pub chain, Tim Martin, told BBC2's Newsnight that 24-hour licensing had not helped counter binge drinking. | Chairman of the Wetherspoon pub chain, Tim Martin, told BBC2's Newsnight that 24-hour licensing had not helped counter binge drinking. |
| The problem is the availability of cheap alcohol from supermarkets Martin Salter MP "People need to be re-educated about their drinking habits. It's worked really well with drink driving, but you have to persuade people it's a bad idea to get paralytic," he said. | The problem is the availability of cheap alcohol from supermarkets Martin Salter MP "People need to be re-educated about their drinking habits. It's worked really well with drink driving, but you have to persuade people it's a bad idea to get paralytic," he said. |
| Labour MP Martin Salter, a member of the Commons home affairs committee, blamed binge drinking on those who made alcohol too easily available to young people. | Labour MP Martin Salter, a member of the Commons home affairs committee, blamed binge drinking on those who made alcohol too easily available to young people. |
| "The problem is the availability of cheap alcohol from supermarkets and the fact that, actually, most teenagers are getting alcohol either from family members or from parents or from irresponsible shopkeepers," he said. | "The problem is the availability of cheap alcohol from supermarkets and the fact that, actually, most teenagers are getting alcohol either from family members or from parents or from irresponsible shopkeepers," he said. |
| Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said he believed the government was "behaving extraordinarily by saying 24-hour drinking is here to stay". | Shadow immigration minister Damian Green said he believed the government was "behaving extraordinarily by saying 24-hour drinking is here to stay". |
| Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesman, said: "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". | Chris Huhne, the Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesman, said: "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". |
| Government figures published last November suggested 500 pubs and clubs had been granted 24-hour licences since the laws were introduced. | Government figures published last November suggested 500 pubs and clubs had been granted 24-hour licences since the laws were introduced. |
| Ministers said the "vast majority" of 24-hour licences went to hotels, which serve only to their guests. | Ministers said the "vast majority" of 24-hour licences went to hotels, which serve only to their guests. |