Tesco boss accused in the Commons

Tesco chief Terry Leahy will be described as "the godfather of British binge-drinking" in the House of Commons on Thursday.

Speaking at Wednesday's BII NITA Awards in London, Labour MP John Grogan said he would use a Parliamentary debate to step up his campaign for action against below-cost selling of beer in supermarkets.

Thursday's private debate, which will be led by a government minister, is on the health consequences of the availability of cheap alcohol.

Grogan, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group in the Commons, said: "I shall be accusing Terry Leahy of being the "godfather of British binge-drinking". It's time he faced up to his responsibilities."

Grogan said Leahy's view that parents should be held responsible for underage drinking - which was apparently promoted at the Prime Minister's summit meeting with retailers and the drinks industry two weeks ago - was not enough.

"Supermarkets need to sign up to the on-trade code which outlaws irresponsible promotions, including below-cost selling," continued Grogan, who added that the proposed increase in alcohol duty would only increase the price differential between the on and off-trades.

A Tesco spokesman described Grogan's comments as "as offensive as they are inaccurate".

"They do nothing to inform the serious social debate on binge drinking," he said. "Alcohol abuse is of course a serious concern to us all and we are playing a leading role in the efforts to tackle it. The vast majority of alchohol bought at Tesco forms part of the weekly family shop. We also know people tend to stock up on beers and wines for home use during promotional periods and consequently buy less at other times."

Fourteen prizes were presented at the BII NITA Awards, which recognise the people and organisations which have created success in the licensed retail sector through training and development.

Greene King Pub Partners, the tenanted and leased arm of the regional brewer and pubco giant, was named the 2007 BII NITA Supreme Award winner.

Judges said they were impressed with the company's clear commitment to training and the use of feedback to refine their training offering to achieve sustainable business growth.

The winners

• Supreme Award winner 2007 - Greene King Pub Partners
• Best licensee induction programme in managed estates - Spirit Group
• Best licensee induction programme in non-managed estates - Charles Wells Pub Company
• Licensee trainer of the year in managed and non-managed estates - Margaret Orman FBII, The Whitmore Arms, Orsett, Grays, Essex
• Best development programme in managed estates - Rileys
• Best development programme in non-managed estates - Greene King Pub Partners
• Best development programme in licensed retail where consumption is off the premises - Wm Morrison
• Innovation in training award - Fuller, Smith & Turner
• Social responsibilities award where consumption is on the premises - Poppleston Allen
• Social responsibilities award where consumption is off the premises - Capper & Co
• Best area manager/BDM development award - Enterprise Inns
• Professional trainer of the year award - Mike Kennedy CMBII, Innfront Training
• Supplier training award - Diageo GB
• Best training scheme run by institutions of further and higher education in partnership with the licensed retail industry - JD Wetherspoon in partnership with The Centre for Leisure Retailing, Nottingham Trent University
• Door supervisor training award - NALDS Training