Cameron to take on 'scandal' of binge drinking

It is of course shocking that, as Dave says, "reckless" drunken behaviour of the "irresponsible" minority costs the health service about £2.7b per year.

Unreported by the PMA was the finding last week by the Public Accounts Committee (‘public spending watchdog’) that unpaid taxes (known about, but simply uncollected by HMRC and written off) amounted to £10.9bn per year - or 4 times the cost to the public purse of drunks.

I wonder which of the two scandalous wastes of public money might be easier and more effective for a Government to solve. Could Dave’s ‘Drunk Tanks’ possibly double as ‘Tax Evader Tanks’?

RE: Cameron to take on 'scandal' of binge drinking

In short the pub trade is going to get shafted yet again on March 13th.

RE: Cameron to take on 'scandal' of binge drinking

Wish we'd been told he was in the North East he could have come and seen for himself what we do to try and stop under age drinkers and what we offer to support licensees...shame really especially as the HO do know we're here....joined up writing ?? !

RE: frightening growth in binge drinking? I wish.

"Over the last decade we’ve seen a frightening growth in the number of people — many under age — who think it’s acceptable for people to get drunk in public in ways that wreck lives, spread fear and increase crime."

And according to Metropolitan Police figures this is how many people have been arrested for 'drunk and disorderly' since 2001.

2001 - 12138
2002 - 11915
2003 - 11069
2004 - 9688
2005 - 6541
2006 - 5718
2007 - 5142
2008 - 5149
2009 - 5232
2010 - 4516

http://tinyurl.com/6vnlk5z

Some "frightening growth".

RE: Cameron to take on 'scandal' of binge drinking

The Government is still useing incorrect data to quote incorrect costs. Does Cameroons left hand have any idea what his right hand is doing.

By Gurjit Degun, 02-Feb-2012

Extreme figures on alcohol-related hospital admissions could be a thing of the past as the Government is to revise how it classifies such cases.
The Department of Health has issued a consultation on the guidelines which it is thought could see figures of alcohol-related admissions fall dramatically. This means that recent figures claiming that hospitals have seen millions of admissions due to alcohol are distorted.
There is concern among trade associations as it is this information which the Government has used to base its legislative action against the alcohol industry, such as the late-night levy.
The current figure of more than a million admissions a year is based on all health conditions recorded for each patient, not just the main reason that the patient is actually admitted.
For example, if a patient is admitted for a stroke after high blood pressure, a fraction of this case is classified as alcohol-related.
This is because high blood pressure is considered an alcohol-related condition. This means that recent figures claiming that hospitals have seen millions of admissions due to alcohol are distorted.
It is anticipated that the changes will not take effect until next April.