The legislation will look at drinks promotions

The minister promised tough action against those who flout the new measures in the Scottish Executive's white paper on liquor licensing.

Ms Jamieson promised "a crackdown on irresponsible drinks promotions".

She also pledged tighter monitoring of licence conditions as part of the modernisation of alcohol legislation.

Local licensing boards will be given more flexibility over hours of opening but they will have to work to national guidelines.

Pubs and off-licences will be shut down if they allow underage sales or indulge in irresponsible promotions.

'Uneasy relationship'

Liquor licensing standards officers will be employed to police the system.

Ms Jamieson outlined the proposals at a licensing conference in Edinburgh.

The minister said: "Scotland has always had an uneasy relationship with alcohol.

Cathy Jamieson unveiled the proposals

"It may provide us with our national drink but it also provides us with real national problems.

"That is why our licensing laws need to support efforts to improve the nation's health and help break the link between excessive drinking and crime."

Ms Jamieson said she wished to strike a balance in the legislation between the way people live and work.

She said: "Our current licensing laws are out of step with these social developments.

"We need new laws which reflect modern Scotland. This package of reforms provides a sensible way forward."

The proposals include:

• better monitoring of licence conditions and tougher action against those who break the law

• action on "irresponsible drinks promotions" which could lead to crime and disorder

• a new national licensing framework which includes potential for "local flexibility"

• improvements to the system for raising objections to licensing decisions.

The proposals are based largely on last year's recommendations from Sheriff Principal Gordon Nicholson's licensing review.

Scottish National Party justice spokeswoman Nicola Sturgeon said: "Scotland has a drink problem and like any drink problem, the first step is to acknowledge that it exists. The white paper takes that step.

"We need to see a much more responsible approach taken to alcohol and in particular we need to tackle the culture of binge drinking.

Nicola Sturgeon said binge drinking must be tackled

"The Nicholson Report has given us something to build on and the white paper should now be carried through as a matter of urgency."

Scottish Tory MSP Brian Monteith criticised the executive proposals.

He said: "Binge drinking will not be solved by price fixing. Restricting a publican's right to set prices whilst supermarkets are free to offer even bigger discounts means that those who wish to drink to excess can continue to drink to excess.

"If we wish to change Scotland's drinking culture then we must stop treating adults as children.

"Lifting the drink ban at all seater football grounds and at Murrayfield would have been a step in the right direction."