SBPA calls for suspension of test purchase scheme
The Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA) has called for the suspension of the national roll-out of the test purchasing of alcohol.
The call has come after Fife Police admitted it did not carry out test purchases in nearly one in four licensed premises in Fife during a pilot scheme, despite indications it intended to test purchase in all 1,000 of the area's licensed premises.
Fife Police also confirmed that it did not conduct any test purchases in hotels or restaurants during a pilot exercise and during the initial phase of the scheme did not test purchase in any on-trade premises, only in off-trade premises.
Patrick Browne, chief executive of the SBPA said: "These admissions from Fife Police raise major questions about the test purchasing pilot scheme in Fife.
"We were not aware that Fife Police had excluded hotel and restaurant licensed premises from the test purchasing pilot scheme, indeed Fife Police indicated they would test purchase all premises in order to be fair to all licensees. Clearly, this was not the case."
"It is now evident that during the initial phase of the test purchasing pilot scheme when Fife Police were criticising licensees for the failure rate in test purchases in Fife, that at this stage no pubs or clubs had actually failed, indeed they hadn't even been tested."
"We have supported the introduction of test-purchasing of alcohol being introduced in Scotland for the first time and it is important that we get it right and that it has the confidence of all licensees.
"This cannot be the case when it appears that a pub licensed premises can be the subject of test purchasing but a bar in a hotel or restaurant cannot be. That seems to be a rather strange position."
However, Fife Police said the scheme aimed to test every licensed premises where it was safe and legal to do so and within the context of the overall problem of underage drinking and youth disorder in Fife. It also said that it was clear from the beginning that the problems did not stem from restaurants where the sale of alcohol simply supports the sale of a meal but from premises where a primary purpose is the retail of alcohol.
A spokesman for Fife police said: "The scheme has been strongly supported by the drinks trade and the public alike and while Mr Browne is raising questions, the interim evaluation addresses elements of those and it is anticipated that the final evaluation, being undertaken by the Scottish Centre for Social Research, will redress much of the remainder."
Chief Supt. Andrew Laing of Fife Constabulary said: "I have every confidence that the pilot scheme has confirmed that the tactic is safe, appropriate, fair and will encourage all of those responsible for controlling the supply of alcohol to young people to play their full part in tackling one of the major problems affecting communities today".
On the issue of Freedom of Information, Fife Police said its response had been consistently one of full compliance and it would work with the commissioner to explore the anomalies suggested by the SBPA.
