New drinking laws in England and Wales have not caused an explosion in drunken violence on the high street, according to two new reports.

On Monday, a report from 10 local "scrutiny" councils, set up by previous licensing minister James Purnell, concluded that the new alcohol laws had had a beneficial effect on communities.

It found residents were now much more aware of their rights, and licensees of their responsibilities, under the new rules, enacted last November.

And last week's Crime in England and Wales 2005/06 report from the Home Office found that there had been no significant increase in alcohol-aggravated disorder in the first six months of the new laws.