Five year licence bans scrapped

THE five-year bans on holding a personal licence for alcohol retailing imposed on people who failed to undertake refresher training or lodge their refresher certificate in time with their licensing board has been removed from Scottish law.
Previously anybody with a personal licence for selling alcohol, who failed to undertake refresher training or present their certificate to the licensing board by the due date, faced a five year ban on applying for a new licence.
When the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act received royal assent last month the measure was removed.
Minister for community safety and legal affairs, Paul Wheelhouse, said: “Anybody who had their personal licence revoked for failing to present a refresher training certificate can now apply for a new licence, as long as they meet with the other requirements.
“We have listened to the concerns raised that a five-year ban was excessive and responded by removing that ban.
“Refresher training is important, and remains compulsory. Those personal licence holders who fail to comply with the requirement to undertake the training will face the costs of reapplying for a licence, but we believe we have struck an appropriate balance by removing the five-year ban term.”
The Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act sets out new rules for a range of topics including air weapons, scrap metal dealers and alcohol. It will also create new offences of giving, or making available, alcohol to a child or young person for consumption in a public place.