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Youth anti-drink plans criticised Parents to get youth drink guide
(about 22 hours later)
Charities and opposition MPs have criticised ministers' proposals to tackle underage drinking in England. Parents are to be given guidelines on how much alcohol their children can safely consume, in a bid to encourage teenagers to drink more responsibly.
Parents who allow children to drink in public could be prosecuted, and it could become illegal for under-18s to be regularly found with alcohol. The government's youth alcohol action plan will crack down on off-licences which sell alcohol to under 18s and aim to reduce drinking in public.
But the Tories and Lib Dems said legislation would not solve the problem, while charity Addaction said the price of drink should rise instead. Children Secretary Ed Balls says he thinks parents will welcome help to prevent youngsters from binge drinking.
Justice Secretary Jack Straw insisted the law could change behaviour. But the Conservatives and Lib Dems say legislation will not solve the problem.
'Underlying problem' Under the plans, the government will consult with the UK's chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, to provide parents with information on how much alcohol their children can safely be given, how often and at what age.
Shadow children, schools and families secretary Michael Gove said new laws were not the answer. 'Two-strikes' rule
Mr Gove told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "We will wait to see the detail because one of the things we have seen from the government over the last 10 years is to come up with legislation, often well intentioned, but it hasn't tackled the underlying problem." Those who fail to get their children to "change their ways" and stop abusing alcohol could be required to attend parenting courses or end up facing prosecution.
Young people will always find a way to get round a ban Edward Whitworth, 18 class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7429989.stm">'We can't stop our son drinking' Teenagers persistently possessing alcohol in public will be subject to anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) and acceptable behaviour contracts.
The proposals also include handing the police tougher powers to disperse gangs of young people congregating in the open. Young people will always find a way to get round a ban Edward Whitworth, 18 class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7429989.stm">'We can't stop our son drinking' class="" href="/1/hi/uk_politics/7431051.stm">At-a-glance: Alcohol Action Plan
Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said the government's plans were misguided. The police will receive tougher powers to disperse gangs of young people congregating in the open, including a new offence covering the persistent possession of alcohol.
He told the BBC: "Trying to get parents involved is a good thing but once again the government is trying to create great fanfare for a new offence when criminalising people is not always the best way to deal with it.'' Bars and off-licences are being told to ask anyone looking under 21 to prove they are over 18 before alcohol is sold.
Frank Soodeen from the charity Alcohol Concern welcomed the government's plans, while saying more needed to be done to address the ready availability and affordability of alcohol. And vendors will face a "two strikes" rule on selling booze to children in an attempt to curb binge drinking among teenagers.
But Deborah Campbell of the drug and alcohol treatment charity Addaction warned the proposals could make things worse for young people. The cross-Whitehall alcohol action plan was unveiled by Mr Balls, together with Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Health Secretary Alan Johnson.
She added: "The problem with criminalisation is that they may just be driven to going to more dangerous areas." Mr Balls says he wants to encourage a different perception of alcohol.
Jill Shaw, from social care charity Turning Point, said the government's plans should include improving access to alcohol treatment services which adopt a whole-family approach. New 'attitude' needed
"The strategy should address the major challenge of parental alcohol misuse: over a million children live with parents who have alcohol problems," she said. "We need a culture change about drinking, with everyone from parents, the alcohol industry and young people all taking more responsibility," he said.
Gavin Partington of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association said existing laws could be better enforced. "We need to fundamentally influence young people's behaviour and attitudes towards alcohol. This will involve talking to young people themselves, but crucially, parents tell us they want better, clearer information as they bring up their children."
Illicit allure CURRENT GUIDELINES It is illegal to give alcohol to a child aged below fiveUnder 16s can go into pubs under supervision of an adult, but cannot have any alcoholic drinksOver 16s can drink beer, wine or cider with a meal in a restaurantIt is against the law for under 18s to buy alcohol in a pub, off-licence, supermarket or other outlet or for anyone to buy alcohol for someone under 18 to consume in a pub or public place
A-level student Edward Whitworth, 18, from Maidenhead, Berkshire, said he believed that clamping down on underage drinking would make matters worse. Sir Liam said while fewer young people were drinking, those who did were drinking more and were "probably unaware of the damage they are doing to their health".
He told the BBC he had consumed alcohol from the age of 14 in a park near his home, and believes the illicit nature of alcohol added to its allure. "I will be working with an expert panel, as well as parents and children, to develop clear information for children and their parents about the effects of alcohol," he said.
"Young people will always find a way to get round a ban - by getting older people to buy drink for them or whatever," he said. However, shadow home affairs minister James Brokenshire called it "yet another series of gimmicks" and said the government "mistakenly think new laws are the answer".
"Surely it would be better if we followed the example of much of Europe, where children are introduced to alcohol in the company of their parents from a young age and develop a respect for it." He said: "It's breathtaking that even now they accept no responsibility for the consequences of the way they introduced 24 hour licensing."
As well as urging greater take-up by police of existing powers to confiscate alcohol and disperse young people, ministers are targeting parents as a means to tackle underage drinking. Alcohol treatment
Those who fail to get their children to "change their ways" and stop abusing alcohol could be required to attend parenting courses. Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg told the BBC: "Trying to get parents involved is a good thing but once again the government is trying to create great fanfare for a new offence when criminalising people is not always the best way to deal with it.''
There's a big moral imperative in my view on the supermarkets Jack Straw,Justice Secretary Frank Soodeen from the charity Alcohol Concern welcomed the government's plans, but said more needed to be done to address the ready availability and affordability of alcohol.
Ultimately, they could be prosecuted. Police officer on under age drinking scheme
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said professionals would be called in where parents were unable to handle their offspring. But Deborah Campbell of the drug and alcohol treatment charity Addaction warned that "the problem with criminalisation is that they may just be driven to going to more dangerous areas".
She added: "These new measures are designed to set clear boundaries." Jill Shaw, from social care charity Turning Point, said the plans should include improving access to alcohol treatment services which adopt a whole-family approach.
Meanwhile, Mr Straw told the Andrew Marr Show there were a number of measures that could be taken to change behaviour. Meanwhile, supermarket Morrisons has launched a "Task 25" scheme, where customers buying alcohol will be asked for a proof of age if they look 25 or younger.
"I think you can by changing the law, by greatly improving enforcement and also by making a kind of moral imperative towards parents, as well as those young people, you can start to change behaviour," he said. A-level student Edward Whitworth, 18, from Maidenhead, Berkshire, said young people would get round any ban by getting older friends to buy drinks for them.
"And there's a big moral imperative in my view on the supermarkets, on the corner shops and on the drink producers as well.'' He told the BBC he had consumed alcohol from the age of 14 in a park near his home, and believed the illicit nature of alcohol added to its allure.
Anti-social behaviour class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYUnder-age drinking is not the problem. It's those who get drunk, misbehave and become violent or destructive who are the problemOxford Don, Oxford class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?sortBy=1&forumID=4880&start=15&tstart=0&edition=1&ttl=20080601090618#paginator">Send us your comments
The government is keen to make the link between the abuse of alcohol and anti-social behaviour by young people. "Surely it would be better if we followed the example of much of Europe, where children are introduced to alcohol in the company of their parents from a young age and develop a respect for it," he said.
HAVE YOUR SAYUnder-age drinking is not the problem. It's those who get drunk, misbehave and become violent or destructive who are the problem.Oxford Don, OxfordSend us your comments
Under the plans, teenagers persistently possessing alcohol in public will be subjected to anti-social behaviour orders (Asbos) and acceptable behaviour contracts.
The suggestion that police would be given new powers to tackle underage drinking in public were first outlined by the home secretary in February.
An action plan will be released by Ms Smith together with Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls and Health Secretary Alan Johnson on Monday.
The government said the number of 11 to 15-year-olds drinking regularly had fallen from 28% in 2001 to 21% in 2006.The government said the number of 11 to 15-year-olds drinking regularly had fallen from 28% in 2001 to 21% in 2006.
However, average consumption by young people who drank had nearly doubled from 5.3 units in 1990 to 11.4 units in 2006.However, average consumption by young people who drank had nearly doubled from 5.3 units in 1990 to 11.4 units in 2006.