§ Mr. CatonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on effective policing of the removal of the power to confiscate sealed containers of alcohol from underage drinkers in public places; [127129]
(2) in what plans he has to extend the power to confiscate alcohol from young people drinking in public places to sealed containers. [127133]
§ Ms BlearsPolice powers to confiscate alcohol and alcohol containers from under-age drinkers are provided by the Confiscation of Alcohol (Young Persons) Act 1997. That Act was amended by section 29 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 with the effect that the police were able to confiscate alcohol in opened containers from young people in public places, but not alcohol in sealed containers.
Following representations from the police and others to strengthen these powers to include sealed containers, we brought section 155 of the Licensing Act 2003 into force on 10 September 2003. This extends police confiscation powers in respect of under-age drinkers in public places to include alcohol in sealed containers where the officer believes that the young person is, has been or intends to drink the alcohol in any public place.