I share that view. The concerns which now give rise to the Bill have long been known and I believe that they are widely acknowledged. First and foremost, there is the risk to the public of prisoners consuming alcohol in breach of their conditions of licence who as a result may commit further offences. There is the equal risk to all those who work in prisons and with prisoners and who should not be expected to have to encounter the violent behaviour that only too often accompanies alcohol abuse. There is also rightly concern about the effect of such abuse on the innocent members of prisoners' families and on other prisoners.
Prison is, by definition, a closed and structured environment.
Unacceptable or violent behaviour associated with alcohol abuse can often have far-reaching consequences for the maintenance of good order and control. Prisoners who choose to involve themselves in alcohol abuse may have a history of drink-related offending behaviour which, if not deterred during their sentence, may perpetuate their offending on release into the community. Similar concerns have already promoted the introduction of mandatory drug testing. I referred earlier to the disciplinary procedures which are presently available to governors to deal with alcohol abuse. Since 1995, all licences for the temporary release of prisoners have contained a standard condition prohibiting the prisoner from entering a public house while on licence.