17th July 1997

George Howarth Serves up a 'Bucks Fizz'

"George Howarth, Home Office Minister, has served a bucks fizz with his measures to deal with alcopops", says Derek Rutherford commenting on today's announcement.

Whilst we welcome measures which help to enforce the law to curb under age drinking and protect minors, we believe that the proof of age scheme together with the code of practice should have been made mandatory if it is to have the desired impact.

The buck has been passed to the retailers to act responsibly. The retailer is to be hauled before the courts to answer the question why his shelves contain alcopops which have been declared irresponsible by the Portman Group. Yet it is the Portman Group's paymaster who has committed the primary offence in producing the socially unacceptable drink.

The Minister has ignored the demands of a substantial number of his own backbenchers who have called for 'stringent statutory controls'.