Violent Crime Reduction Bill

I understand the thinking behind the amendment. The noble Baroness is right to raise the issue in the way that she has and we have to give careful thought to how an area is described. As she said, ADZs might give a place a bad tag and we do not want that. We want them to be specific and refined and to do what they say they do. Our view is that ADZs will be very tightly drawn areas. We understand the spirit behind the amendment and it is vital that the designated area of the locality has strict boundaries so that those who may be affected are informed of their responsibilities. I do not think that it is necessary for us to follow the course down which the amendment leads us. The noble Baroness has already explained that it is a probing amendment, but its effect would be to remove the power of the local authority to identify the designated area by name and to require it to identify the area by its boundaries. I do not think that the sort of problem that the noble Baroness envisages will occur. It has not happened with designated public places orders and it is unlikely that it will happen with ADZs. We want to see an ADZ drawn very tightly around the area where it is reasonable to assume that the licensed premises within that designated area have a definite and proven link to the levels of crime and disorder within the locality. I do not want to pre-empt what will be in the guidance but clearly the streets will need to be clearly identified. It is unlikely, for example, that an ADZ will be widely described as covering a ward area, which could have the effect that the noble Baroness fears. I do not think that that check is required to qualify the actions of a local authority and the police. However, it will be important that full and proper consultation takes place so that the ADZ does not capture what it does not need to capture and so that those who are involved in helping the local authority and the police with the action plan and so on understand its full extent. That issue will have to form part of the thinking behind what is included in the guidance. I hope the noble Baroness will withdraw the amendment.