To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the merits of amending the Penalty Notice for Disorder operational guidance issued to police to ensure that such notices are only issued in police stations; and if he will make a statement. (291982)

There are significant advantages to issue on the street in appropriate circumstances: officers do not need to return to the police station in order to process the matter and they are able to return to patrol much more quickly, resulting in efficiency savings and a better service to the public. In 2007, 115,939 PNDs were issued in a police station and 91,605 on the street.

The operational guidance to the police sets out the criteria which should be considered by officers in deciding where to issue a PND. For example, a ticket must not be issued to a suspect who is drunk, which means that issue will take place in a police station once the individual has sobered up.