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Violent Crime Reduction Bill

moved Amendment No. 82:"Page 12, line 20, at end insert ““; or" (d)   set out the steps they intend to take to review the appropriateness of the action plan in consultation with all persons specified in paragraph (c), after four weeks beginning with the day after the publication of the action plan.”” The noble Baroness said: Amendment No. 82 is another probing amendment, which was specifically recommended by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, the British Retail Consortium and the Association of Convenience Stores. The amendment attempts to formalise the consultation process with the licence holders about the action plan once it has been published. After publication, it will still be necessary for the plan to be reviewed to ensure that it is working effectively. We would argue that, if an action plan is implemented, it should be given every chance to succeed. If we ensure that it will be reviewed halfway through its operation period—I am trying to avoid the dreaded word that I used once the last time around: it is the Government’s favourite word, which the Minister told me was invented by the noble Lord, Lord Dahrendorf; it begins with an ““s”” and ends with an ““s””, and, to assist Hansard, it is not normally considered to be a rude word, but it is odd—those who have an interest will be given the opportunity to be consulted on how to make it more effective in addressing the problems that have given rise to the need for the action plan in the first place. That seems a sensible way to proceed. The amendment would ensure that the action plan received as much input from those who are expected to adhere to it as possible. If the action plan is seen as a collaborative process rather than as a precursor to an inevitable designation of an alcohol disorder zone by people who do not know what is going on, it is far more likely to succeed and achieve its aims. I beg to move.