Five-year ban on personal license applications scrapped

An “excessive” five-year ban on holding a personal alcohol license for people who failed to undertake refresher training has been scrapped by the Scottish Parliament.

Until now, anyone with a personal license 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 license.

The ban has been scrapped following the introduction of the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015.

Paul Wheelhouse, Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, said: “From this week, 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 new legislation will creates new alcohol-related offences of giving, or making available, alcohol to a child or young person for consumption in a public place.

Personal alcohol licenses last for 10 years, but license holders are expected to undertake refresher training and present their certificate to the licensing board after five years, under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

Those who held a personal licence when the act came into effect were required to achieve their refresher qualification by September 2014 and submit evidence to their licensing board within three months of that date.

Anyone who had their licence revoked for failing to do so is now eligible to apply to their local licensing board for a new personal licence.