§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Se#retary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will issue guidance to police forces that parents should, where possible, be informed when alcohol is removed from their children under the under-age drinking legislation; and if he will make a statement; [186474]
(2) if he will investigate the impact of requiring the police to inform schools or colleges when alcohol is removed from pupils under the under-age drinking legislation; and if he will make a statement; [186479]
(3) if he will issue guidance to the police that police schools liaison officers should be made aware of which pupils have had alcohol removed from them by the police under the under-age drinking legislation; and if he will make a statement. [186480]
§ Ms BlearsThere is no specific requirement for police forces to inform parents, schools or an education institute when alcohol is removed from children or pupils under the under-age drinking legislation. A decision to inform parents or an education institute is an operational matter for individual police forces. However, a child who commits an offence and is reported for the offence can be seen in the presence of his or her parent or a responsible adult.
968WPolice forces would have their own arrangements for involving Social Services or an education institute if the child might be at risk. The role of the police school liaison officers in schools is a matter for the individual police force and the school.
There is a statutory requirement to educate children and young people about the effect of alcohol. All schools are encouraged to have systems in place to identify and support those young people for whom drugs (including alcohol) may be a problem. Where concerns have been raised schools can provide support either through the curriculum, pastoral system or through referral to more specialised agencies, perhaps co-ordinated through the Connexions Service.
§ Mr. PaiceTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people were(a) cautioned and (b) found guilty of selling intoxicating liquor to a person aged under 18 in 2003; [184870]
(2) how many people were (a) cautioned and (b) found guilty under section 169 (2) of the Licensing Act 1964 in 2003. [184871]
§ Paul Goggins[holding answer 16 July 2004]: Figures for England and Wales 2002 show that 59 people were cautioned and 103 found guilty for "selling etc, intoxicating liquor to persons under 18 for consumption on the premises" (Licensing Act 1964, S169(1); Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, schedule (section 3) para. 4(1)) and a further two cautioned for "wholesaler selling intoxicating liquor to a person under 18" (Licensing Act 1964, section 181A as added by Licensing Act 1988, section 17). Those cautioned and found guilty under section 169(2) of the Licensing Act 1964 in 2002 were nine and 18 respectively.
Statistics on court proceedings for 2003 will be published in the autumn.