§ Sir Geoffrey Finsbergasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet reached a decision on the need for legislation to limit the sale of solvents to young people.
§ Mr. BrittanFollowing the conviction last December of two Glasgow shopkeepers for seling glue sniffing kits to children (under the Scottish common law which classifies as criminal, wilful, and reckless actions causing real injury to another person), I undertook to consider the possibility of introducing legislation to create a comparable offence in England and Wales. There appears to be very little evidence of the sale of such kits in this country. Having reviewed the matter with great care, I have concluded that, if new legislation were to be introduced, it should probably extend beyond the sale of kits, by making it an offence in England and Wales for a person to sell substances to young people under the age of 16 if he knows or has reasonable grounds for believing that they are likely to be inhaled to achieve intoxication. The Government consider that the creation of such a provision would in principle be desirable, and would be prepared to support the introduction of a Bill which sought to give effect to this. We shall, however, wish to consult the police and representatives of manufacturers' and retailers' associations before any such measure is introduced.