Funding available for underage crackdown

By Ewan Turney

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Underage drinking Antisocial personality disorder Secretary

Campaigns are designed to halt teen drinking
Campaigns are designed to halt teen drinking
A total of £1.4m has been made available to help towns combat underage drinking over the summer. The funding is available for 69 towns and boroughs...

A total of £1.4m has been made available to help towns combat underage drinking over the summer.

The funding is available for 69 towns and boroughs who will have to draw up a plan to show how they will use the money.

The plans are expected to include details of tougher enforcement, which may mean another round of test purchase operations in the on and off-trade, as well as education and and communication strategies.

Earlier this week a major report on alcohol misuse in London recommended that better education and a focus on partnership schemes were key.

"We know that during the summer holidays as the evenings get longer more young people want to spend time outside with their friends," said children, schools and families secretary Ed Balls.

"The majority of young people are law-abiding and make a positive contribution to their communities. However, when alcohol is a factor we know that some young people's behaviour can get out of control and this can lead to anti-social behaviour. Communities should not have to put up with this."

Home secretary Alan Johnson added: "I am committed to tackling underage drinking. Alcohol, especially in the summer, is one of the main drivers of low level youth crime and antisocial behaviour in our communities and this money will help local authorities and police to combat the problem through a mixture of education, enforcement and cooperation with business.

"Drinking alcohol is never an excuse for causing harm and distress to others and we will continue to ensure the police and courts have all the tools and powers they need to swiftly bring the irresponsible minority to account."

Related topics Legislation

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