Wendy Frustrated at Disappointing Scottish Government Figures on Alcohol

Scottish Government Ministers have admitted that retailers convicted of selling alcohol to children receive an average fine of just £244. 

The SNP manifesto promised that, “The sale of alcohol to underage Scots will result in the loss of a premises’ license.”

Kenny MacAskill admitted that he did not know if any retailers lost their licence last year for selling booze to kids.

According to the Scottish Government, in 2008/09 there were 202 prosecutions across Scotland against licence holders for selling alcohol to people under 18. 

This resulted in 116 convictions and an average fine of just £244.

Wendy Alexander said:

“These figures show that the existing licensing laws are not being properly enforced. There can be no excuse for selling alcohol to children, but rogue retailers are getting away with a slap on the wrists. 

“I believe that an average fine of just £244 is a completely inadequate penalty. Any shop keeper who is convicted of selling alcohol to a child should have their licence suspended. There have been ‘proceedings’ against 8 in Renfrewshire yet not a single licence suspension in. Many wonder where the under age drinkers witnessed in Renfrewshire are getting their drink from?” 

“Tougher licensing laws were introduced by the last Scottish Government. We need to go further but the first step is for ministers to make sure that existing laws are properly enforced and strict penalties imposed on those who break them.

“The Scottish Government’s obsession with minimum pricing is masking their shocking failure to protect young Scots and crack down on people who break the law.”