The plan, said to be included in a new Criminal Justice and Licensing Act, is misconceived, discriminatory, and will do nothing to tackle Scotland’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
Following the Scottish Government’s publication of Changing Scotland's relationship with alcohol: A framework for action, Gurjit Singh, NUS Scotland President, said:
“It is disgraceful that the Scottish Government is seeking to avoid further parliamentary debate on their unpopular, unworkable and discriminatory policy of placing a ban on off sales for those under the age of 21, by shifting responsibility for its implementation onto local licensing boards.
“NUS Scotland is particularly angry that these proposals allow licensing boards to implement this policy without consultation. Empowering a local authority to do this without a condition of a hearing gives them unprecedented powers to enact significant change with little or no notice to people in the area, and limit the ability of interest groups to lobby against it. This is undemocratic and creates a dictatorship out of the local authority licensing boards.
“It seems that the Government are ignoring their own consultation process, as well as the will of Parliament, and pushing ahead with plans to criminalise and alienate young people through the back door.”