ADZs finally given green light by MPs

Alcohol disorder zones (ADZs) have finally been given the full green light in Parliament today after months of delays.

The government won a vote among MPs by 240 to 158 this afternoon to have the regulations covering ADZs adopted.

This gives councils the go-head to apply for an ADZ.

But Tory Home Affairs minister James Brokenshire said ADZs, which have been branded unnecessary and "unduly bureaucratic" by peers, still faced a "rocky road".

"The regulations are fundamentally flawed and if any get adopted I would like to see how these weaknesses are addressed," he said.

Brokenshire also pointed to the fact that the polluter pays measure was a manifesto pledge during the last General Election. "It was probably felt that they could not perform another U-turn," he said.

He also questioned the suggestion that 30 councils were going to implement an ADZ in the first year.

"When I asked the Home Office before Christmas how many councils had expressed an interest they said none," he said.

Pubs in an ADZ could face charges of £100 a week to help pay for extra policing.

A spokeswoman for the Local Government Association said it did not currently have details of how many councils will apply for ADZs, but a report will be published in the next three to four weeks which will say.

She added: "The LGA has had serious misgivings about ADZs and about how the set-up costs will be recovered.

"It may well be a piece a legislation that is may not be very user friendly for councils."