Current status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 13 June 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to give the police new powers to deal with the playing of loud music, including consideration of the use of fixed penalty notices.
The police already have powers to deal with the playing of loud music, including the power to confiscate sound equipment for up to 28 days if a person fails to stop the noise on being asked to do so by a police officer. We have a range of other measures in place to address the problem of anti-social behaviour more generally. New legislation should not be considered unless there is evidence that existing provision is inadequate.