Written question asked by Helen Southworth (Labour) on Thursday, 24 June 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 14 July 2004. It was answered by Hazel Blears (Labour) on Wednesday, 14 July 2004 on behalf of the Home Office.

Home Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will take steps to require the producers of bottled drinks intended for consumption from the bottle in licensed premises and elsewhere to use plastic or non-breakable containers; what estimate he has made of the number of injuries caused by glasses and glass bottles in (a) licensed premises and (b) in the vicinity of licensed premises in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement; if he will make representations to the licensed trade, particularly the large pub chains, to transfer from breakable glasses to plastic, in order to reduce incidents involving injury to customers.

Answer: Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if (1) he will take steps to require the producers of bottled drinks intended for consumption from the bottle in licensed premises and elsewhere to use plastic or non-breakable containers, [181293] (2) what estimate he has made of the number of injuries caused by glasses and glass bottles in (a) licensed premises and (b) in the vicinity of licensed premises in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement, [181294] (3) if he will make representations to the licensed trade, particularly the large pub chains, to transfer from breakable glasses to plastic, in order to reduce incidents involving injury to customers. [182485] Ms Blears: The Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy published on 15 March proposes that the use of safer forms of glass could be included in the voluntary social responsibility schemes for industry. We are taking this forward in discussions with the industry. We are concerned about injuries caused by glass as a result of antisocial behaviour associated with excessive drinking. Figures are not available on the number of injuries caused by glass bottles.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 423 c1162-3W; 181293;181294;182485
Session: 2003-04
Subjects: Alcoholic drinks Accidents Bottles Injuries Drinks Glass Plastics Safety
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk