Coulson: Test purchasing back in spotlight

I see that test purchasing is back in the news again, with not one but two consultations being issued on the subject by the regulatory bodies, in an attempt to find common ground with enforcers on how they should go about the task.

The licensed trade, understandably, does not like test purchasing. Many people see it as entrapment (which legally it is not) and particularly when the young person or persons concerned are of an age where it is immensely difficult to tell how old they are.

This is of course why we have Challenge 21 and even Challenge 25, although the latter has always, in my view, been a bridge too far.

It has been admitted that the methods chosen by the different agencies, and even different boroughs or forces, vary tremendously. A great deal of fuss has been caused by the use of 'cover' officers who accompany the young person and involve themselves in the sale, so much so that it is unclear who is actually buying.

The late-lamented Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) had a protocol on test purchasing that has been carried forward, but of course it does not apply to police, although they have been asked to follow the guidelines wherever possible.

It is not just alcohol that is involved in this recent exercise. There are many other age-related products and services with which councils are involved, and of course different age groups as well. For the licensed trade, tobacco and gambling come to mind, with test purchasing on machines now taking place in several parts of the country.

Fortunately, in the machine sector, a prosecution at the initial stages is unlikely and warnings are being issued. Contrast this with the situation over alcohol, where one slip can land you in court and two can see your licence taken away or suspended. The current climate is that selling to a minor is the worst crime in the book, although as I have pointed out many times, consumption of alcohol by people under 18 is not absolutely prohibited — only in bars and clubs. We do not have a total ban on everything for under-18s.

However, a standardised approach to the whole subject is to be welcomed if it makes licensees and trainers clearer on what is likely to happen and what precautions need to be put in place to prevent infringements by barstaff. A great deal rides on getting it right.