- Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 26 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms exist to allow regulation by licensing authorities of non-standard vehicles such as stretch limousines and decommissioned ambulances and fire engines that are available to the public for hire.
Answer
The CivicGovernment (Scotland) Act 1982 gives local authorities powersto license the operation of private hire cars in their area. The decision as tothe suitability of a specific vehicle for licensing as a private hire car is amatter for individual licensing authorities having regard to the type, size anddesign of vehicle and whether it is safe for that use.
- Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 24 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce alcohol-fuelled crime and antisocial behaviour in Edinburgh.
Answer
Reducingalcohol-fuelled crime and antisocial behaviour is a key priority for this Government.We are funding local agencies in Edinburgh to providea range of services aimed at delivering this outcome.
- Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 23 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the success of test purchasing schemes at reducing sales of alcohol to people under 18.
Answer
The final report of the evaluation of the Fife test purchasing pilot for sales of alcoholto under 18s was published on the Scottish Government’s website today.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/10/16091859.During the first testpurchase visit 20% of licensed premises failed. However, only 7% of premises failedthe test purchase revisit, suggesting that the first visit had a significant impacton the practice of shop and bar staff on preventing underage sales.
This closely reflectsexperience in England and Wales where a recent report by the Home Office on testpurchasing of alcohol showed that of 9,000 attempts to test purchase alcohol byminors, 14.7% succeeded compared with 20% in 2006. Only 8% of premises made at leasttwo sales while fewer than 1% made three sales.
- Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 23 October 2007
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend test purchasing of alcohol to people under 18 to other local authority areas following the results of the pilot study in Fife.
Answer
The Society for ChiefOfficers for Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS) and the Association of ChiefPolice Officers (ACPOS) in association with the Crown Office Prosecution FiscalService (COPF) have worked together to produce an operational protocol drawing onthe experiences of the Scottish test purchasing pilots.
A Practical Guide ToTest Purchasing in Scotland was published on the Scottish Government websitetoday.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/10/16091941.Publication of theguidance will enable Scottish Police Forces and Prosecution Services to preparefor the national roll out of alcohol test purchasing before the end of this year.
