Violent Crime Reduction Bill

moved Amendment No. 115:"After Clause 22, insert the following new clause—" ““ARREST REFERRAL SCHEMES (1)   An arrest referral scheme is a partnership between a police force, an alcohol treatment service, and any of the following that lie within the geographical boundaries of that police force— (a)   a health authority established under section 8 of the National Health Service Act 1977 (c. 49) (Health Authorities and Strategic Health Authorities); (b)   a special health authority established under section 11 of that Act (Special Health Authorities); (c)   a primary care trust established under section 16A of that Act (exercise of functions by Primary Care Trusts); or (d)   a National Health Service trust established under section 5 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19) (NHS Trusts), that exists with the objective of issuing alcohol treatment referrals. (2)   An alcohol treatment referral is a referral of an individual to alcohol treatment by a police officer. (3)   Such a referral shall be made by a police officer upon arrest of an individual if he was under the influence of alcohol either— (a)   at the time he was arrested; or (b)   at the time the alleged offence for which he was arrested took place. (4)   At the time of arrest, a police officer shall make an assessment as to whether the individual— (a)   is under the influence of alcohol; or (b)   was under the influence of alcohol at the time the alleged offence took place, and this assessment shall be recorded in writing. (5)   If a police officer assesses an individual to have been under the influence of alcohol under the conditions of subsection (3)(a) or (b), he may present the individual with an alcohol treatment referral, at the time the individual is— (a)   charged with an offence; or (b)   cautioned in respect of an offence. (6)   An alcohol treatment referral shall involve the police officer issuing the individual with information regarding alcohol treatment, including the time and place that such treatment is available, and treatment will be made available to the individual if he is held on remand. (7)   The arrest referral scheme will provide voluntary alcohol treatment for an individual referred to treatment through the scheme, and appropriate treatment will consist of sessions totalling no less than two hours during which— (a)   his use of alcohol is assessed; (b)   he develops an action-plan designed to reduce the likelihood of re-offending due to alcohol; and (c)   he is referred for further alcohol treatment where appropriate. (8)   If an individual has been charged with an offence and is awaiting trial, a copy of the action-plan produced by an individual according to subsection (7)(b) shall be submitted to the court. (9)   The Secretary of State shall keep under review the effectiveness of measures under this section and shall issue an annual report to Parliament specifying— (a)   the number of alcohol treatment referrals made under this section; (b)   the number of individuals receiving alcohol treatment referrals who volunteer to attend treatment under the referral; and (c)   the re-offending rates of those individuals who volunteer to attend treatment under an alcohol treatment referral.”” The noble Lord said: I sympathise with the negative feelings of the noble Lord, Lord Thomas of Gresford, about Clause 22. The purpose of my amendment is to give a positive element to that clause. In Committee on 26 April many of your Lordships welcomed government amendments that will offer some form of training or treatment for individuals who are subject to drinking banning orders. Your Lordships felt that it was a wise move to offer treatment—a wise move in the right direction. This probing amendment attempts to take the Government further in the same direction. At Second Reading on 29 March my noble friend Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe referred to an alcohol referral scheme piloted in Dudley in the West Midlands between the metropolitan borough of Dudley and the Dudley Community Safety Partnership, with the support of the Dudley health authority, the West Midlands police and the Aquarius alcohol and drugs service. The aim of that scheme, which exists at the moment, is to reduce alcohol-related reoffending. In brief, it sets out a procedure by which individuals who commit alcohol-related offences are offered voluntary treatment or awareness-raising of their own problems. That can lead to further treatment, which should help the offender to recover from alcohol addiction and related problems. The amendment sets out the process in full. It appears to be working well in Dudley. I would like the Government to consider whether that experiment in that part of the country provides a model which has merits and which could be tried out over a wider area. I beg to move.