News Underage and binge-drinkers slammed by Conservatives
Prospective Goole MP Andrew Percy and Haltemprice and Howden MP David Davis have expressed their concerns over new figures which show there were 19,170 hospital admissions due to alcohol misuse in the Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority area last year alone.
The research, carried out by the NHS information centre, also revealed that the number of admissions to NHS hospitals across the UK due to alcohol has soared by 52 per cent over the last decade and one in 10 of all these incidents now involves those under the legal drinking age.
Prospective Goole MP Andrew Percy said: "There's nothing wrong with adults having a good night out, but under-age and binge-drinking fuels crime and anti-social behavior. I know as a secondary school teacher myself just how many school-age children seem to see getting drunk as all part of a normal weekend."
Figures also suggest half of all violent attacks are committed by those under the influence of alcohol.
The Governments introduction of 24 hour licensing laws and a failure to enforce effectively the laws which exist against under-age drinking is been linked to the growing figures relating to alcohol misuse.
Haltemprice and Howden MP and Shadow Home Secretary David Davis MP added: "The Labour Government's failure to enforce the law sends totally the wrong message about under-age drinking. We need greater social responsibility, more powers for local communities over licensing, and an end to some parents turning a blind eye to their children's drinking."
A spokesman for the local Labour party said: "The Licensing Act gives local councils more powers than ever to deal with opening hours and to tackle those who sell illegally to youngsters who are underage.
"There are many good examples of councils in other parts of the country using these powers to the full, and if David Davis and Andrew Percy say it is not happening in the East Riding of Yorkshire then someone should remind them that it is their Tory friends who run the council."
Published on 12th June 2008 in News.
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