HC Deb 05 November 1992 vol 213 cc320-1W
Dr. Spink

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many publicans have been prosecuted over the last 10 years for selling alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years;

(2) how many shopkeepers have been prosecuted over the last 10 years for selling cigarettes to children under 16 years.

Mr. Jack

[holding answer 2 November 1992]: The table shows the formation held centrally on the number of prosecutions for the illegal sale of alcohol on licensed premises to persons under the age of 18 and for the sale of tobacco to children under the age of 16. We are unable to distinguish the number of publicans and shopkeepers involved.

Defendants proceeded against at magistrates' courts for illegal sales of alcohol and tobacco to children 1981–90
England and Wales. Number proceeded against
Year Alcohol1 Tobacco2
1981 410 17
1982 323 7
1983 307 29
1984 314 45
1985 274 28
1986 296 17
1987 333 18
1988 673 29
1989 747 66
1990 574 83
1Licensing Act 1964, Section 169(1); Licensing (Occasional Permissions) Act 1983, Schedule (Section 3) para 4(1).
2The Children and Young Persons Act 1933, Section 7.