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11 OCTOBER 2007
MINISTERS hail fall in underage sales
UPFRONT, news, night online, COMMENTS
Ministers have claimed an undercover police operation shows alcohol sales to children are falling. During the Home Office-funded campaign to tackle underage sales of alcohol this summer, under-18s were sent into 2,683 'problematic' premises to buy drink. Of those businesses, 1,064 made at least one sale to a minor, eight per cent made at least two sales and 0.8 per cent made three sales.
Of nearly 9,000 test purchases, supervised by officers in 27 police areas across the country, children were able to buy alcohol in just under 15 per cent of cases.
The Home Office said this compared to 50 per cent in 2004 and 20 per cent in 2006.
Earlier surveys were based on a random sample of premises, the department said, while this time the focus had been on businesses known to be a problem.
Home Office minister Vernon Coaker said he was 'delighted' that efforts to crack down on underage sales were taking effect.
"I am under no illusions that we need to continue to restrict the availability of alcohol to the under-18s and challenge the behaviour of people whose drinking causes damage to themselves and those around them," he said.
Licensing minister Gerry Sutcliffe said that the 22 premises caught selling drink to children three times faced a £10,000 fine, a three-month ban and a review of their licence.
The Home Office provided £535,000 to support the campaign, conducted by police and trading standards officers.
From: NIGHT Online
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