Cork it! campaign support / test purchasing scheme to be extended
Falkirk
East MSP Cathy Peattie has welcomed news that an alcohol test purchasing
scheme is to be extended to the Falkirk area in an effort to crack down
on underage drinking and anti-social behaviour.
Cathy recently met Health Minister Andy Kerr and Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson to discuss the scheme's extension, and she took the opportunity to speak to them about the Falkirk Herald's 'Cork It!' campaign.
"I told them about the Herald's campaign to address underage and binge drinking, and that I thought the campaign and the test purchasing scheme would complement each other. I think the campaign is a great example of campaigning journalism for other local papers to follow.
"The test purchasing scheme uses under age volunteers, who attempt to buy alcohol from local retailers, while being monitored by officers to ensure their safety.
"The majority of local retailers have a responsible attitude to selling alcohol to under-18’s. However, as the Herald campaign highlights, there are still some retailers who put profits before the law and this will help us to identify and deal with them."
Health Minister Andy Kerr added:
”Under-age drinking is a concern for the health and well being of the young people involved, as well as local people who find themselves at the sharp end of the anti-social behaviour and worry it can cause. Of course there is no simple or single solution to under-age drinking but the evidence from the Fife scheme proves that some retailers could do more to adopt a standard ‘no proof, no sale’ approach”.
The pilot scheme visited licensed premises in Fife (broadly split 50:50 between on and off-sales). The latest available figures (week ending 10 Feb) showed that of 783 premises visited, 134 failed (17%). Licensees who fail a test purchase are charged and a report submitted to the Procurator Fiscal and the Licensing Board.
(March 2007)