Royal assent for Licensing Act removes refresher training ban rule

Holders of personal alcohol licences who fail to undertake refresher training are no longer subject to a five year ban on reapplying if their licence is revoked.

Royal assent for the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act, given this week, means the repeal of the rule that anyone 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, was banned for five years from applying for a new licence.

Other provisions of the Act will come into force in due course. The air weapons licensing regime is expected to begin in 2016. A public information campaign before the provisions take effect will promote what people have to do, and the deadlines that will apply.

Minister for Community Safety & Legal Affairs, Paul Wheelhouse, 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.”