Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what representations her Department has received from local authorities on the merits of early morning alcohol restriction orders.

Several licensing authorities ran consultations on the introduction of an Early Morning Alcohol Restriction Order (EMRO) between 2013 and early 2014. No consultation resulted in the introduction of an EMRO.

The Home Office sought feedback from the licensing authorities involved in those consultations, as well as from others that had not actively considered an EMRO. Many licensing authorities felt that they would only use the EMRO as a last resort if other methods to reduce alcohol-related problems had failed, and did not feel it an appropriate means to reduce alcohol-related problems in their area.

Some felt that an EMRO could be perceived by members of public and businesses as labelling an area as having high alcohol-related crime or being unsafe. Some felt that it conflicted with the need to support local businesses and increase economic growth, and preferred alternative approaches such as local partnership working and voluntary agreements, or reviewing individual premises licences.

They also highlighted practical issues with implementation: licensing authorities considered the process to be onerous, and this in itself was a barrier to considering an EMRO.