To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to prevent retailers selling alcohol to under-age children. (188122)

[holding answer 25 February 2008]: Successive Alcohol Misuse Enforcement Campaigns (2004-06) and Tackling Underage Sales of Alcohol Campaigns (2006-07) have reduced the test purchase failure rate from approximately 50 per cent. to approximately 15 per cent.

The Home Office will continue to address the problem of underage drinking through co-ordinating the utilisation of existing legislation in relation to underage sales and confiscation of alcohol through national campaigns.