Written question asked by Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat) on Tuesday, 21 November 2000, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 27 November 2000. It was answered by Mike O'Brien (Labour) on Monday, 27 November 2000 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use of test purchases of alcohol by minors to enable detection and enforcement of licensing laws. - Inc ref to Alcohol Education and Research Council annual report 1999-2000 (copy in Library) and White Paper "Time for Reform" (Cm 4696).

Answer: Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use of test purchases of alcohol by minors to enable detection and enforcement of licensing laws. [140001] Mr. Mike O'Brien: Because of doubts about the lawfulness of the test purchasing of alcohol by children it has not been widely used. A recent study carried out under the auspices of the Alcohol Education and Research Council showed that children had little difficulty in buying alcohol. A summary of the report of the study was published with the Council's annual report for 1999-2000, a copy of which is in the Library. The researchers concluded from their study that test purchasing would enable more effective enforcement of the minimum age laws. It is the Government's policy, as set out in our White Paper "Time for Reform", to amend licensing law to provide a clear statutory basis for test purchasing.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 357 c444W; 140001
Session: 1999-00
Subjects: Children Alcoholic drinks Enforcement Licensing laws Young people Reform Research
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk