Written question asked by Lord Jackson of Peterborough (Conservative) on Tuesday, 4 March 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 6 March 2008. It was answered by Lord Coaker (Labour) on Friday, 20 June 2008 on behalf of the Home Office.

Alcoholic Drinks: Young People

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people aged (a) 12 to 14, (b) 15 to 16 and (c) 17 years were (i) prosecuted and (ii) given a penalty charge notice for disorder for purchasing alcohol in the Peterborough City Council area in each year since 2001; and if she will make a statement.

Answer: There were no persons aged 12 to 18 who were proceeded against at magistrates courts in the Cambridgeshire police force area for the offence of purchasing alcohol by a person aged under 18 years for the years 2001 to 2006. It would not be possible to provide information for Peterborough city council, as data at this level of detail are not held centrally.In addition, under the Penalty Notice for Disorder (PND) Scheme, established by the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, the police can issue a fixed penalty of £50 for the offence of ““Buying or attempting to buy alcohol by a person under 18”” section 149(1) of the Licensing Act 2003 (c.17). No PNDs have been issued for the offence to anyone under 18 by Cambridgeshire police force in 2005 or 2006, the latest year for which confirmed data are available.

Secondary information