Charles Clarke, the home secretary, has told The Times that he supports a levy on pubs and clubs to meet demands for extra policing.
Clarke added: "If you take the drink issue, I am not in favour of letting the market run and seeing what happens. I am in favour of state intervention and to see how we can get to a better way of living.
"The fact is that there is a multibillion-pound industry where there are social affects of what they do. Yes, they contribute to taxation. But it is important to work with the industry and they with us to make sure the worse effects of this are tackled.
"The question is whether we can find a means of doing it [imposing a levy] which was fairer by type of institution or geographical location."
