The Home Affairs Select Committee report on policing, published today (10 November), claimed the Scottish government and the London Mayor were considering introducing such a ban, but said: "such proposals seem to unfairly penalise young people who do drink responsibly."
The committee also said it saw no evidence that teenage drinkers cause more problems for the police than those in their early 20s. "We do not support an increase in the age at which alcohol can be legally purchased; rather young people should be encouraged to drink responsibly," concludes the report.
Shadow home secretary, Dominic Grieve, said: "We would ensure that laws passed to deal with alcohol fuelled disorder are actually enforced and take robust action to prevent loss leader sales targeted at the young."
The report also recommended more resources be targeted to knife crime and said projects in Hackney and Manchester should be rolled out nationally. These combine diversionary youth activity with targeted campaigns against known offenders.
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