Meeting of the Parliament 25 June 2015
The bill is an important one that deals with metal theft, air weapon licensing, alcohol licensing and, of course, sexual entertainment venues. I will limit my comments to the part of the bill that deals with sexual entertainment venues.
I am grateful to the many members who have mentioned that I have been pursuing the licensing of sexual entertainment venues for more years than I care to remember. I thank the Local Government and Regeneration Committee for all the work that it did on this part of the bill. I also thank the clerks—I see that they are in the chamber—for the advice that they have given me and their help in lodging various amendments. I also thank the Scottish Government and the Cabinet Secretary for Justice for introducing the bill. Special thanks must go to the previous justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill, who worked with me when I brought my member’s bill to the chamber a number of years ago—unfortunately, the Opposition parties voted it down, but we did not give in; we brought it back again. I thank everyone who has helped with the current bill, but if it were not for the previous justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill, I do not know whether it would have got this far.
A number of members have talked about the granting of sexual entertainment licences for lap-dancing clubs. I represent Glasgow city centre, and such clubs are a part of that. In fact, many people have come to me about the proliferation of lap-dancing clubs in Glasgow city centre. It has been decided that local authorities will be responsible for their licensing, and that is absolutely right—there cannot be mandatory licensing; it must be for local authorities to represent the people in their areas. I thank Councillor Coleman, of Glasgow City Council, who gave me enormous amounts of advice and support while I was pushing through this part of the bill. It is fantastic that, as a result of all the work of everyone concerned, from 10 past 5 tonight, if a local authority wishes no lap-dancing and sexual entertainment licences to be granted in its area, none will be granted. I call that empowering local people—not just local authorities but local communities—who wish not to have this type of entertainment in their areas.
As others have said—I have long said it myself—sexual entertainment is a form of violence against women. I have already mentioned some of the examples that I have encountered of people being in such establishments. The bill is therefore a really good piece of legislation to come out of the Scottish Parliament. Lots of people on community councils and not just women’s groups but groups throughout Scotland very much welcome the bill. The idea that women can be objectified through lap dancing and people paying for that type of thing will be long gone when the legislation is implemented. Others besides me have worked on it for many years, and I thank everyone who has helped me to bring it forward. I look forward to 10 past 5 tonight, when we will finally be able to say yes to this legislation.
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