ALCOHOL-RELATED VIOLENCE

That this House takes note of the report by the Institute of Alcohol Studies on alcohol-related violence, published on 26 October 2015; notes that the Institute surveyed nearly 5,000 police officers, ambulance staff, NHS medical staff and firefighters in preparing the report; is seriously concerned that 53 per cent of police officers' time and 37 per cent of ambulance staff time was taken up tackling problems arising from alcohol; is appalled that three quarters of police staff and 50 per cent of ambulance staff have been injured while handling drink-related violence and that there was a culture of fear among emergency service workers about being attacked when dealing with alcohol-related incidents; acknowledges that the majority of police officers blamed the introduction of 24-hour licensing in 2005 for drink-related crime; and therefore supports police officers in urging the Government to call time on 24-hour licensing and restore the traditional closing time of 11pm for pubs and 2am to 3am for clubs.