Under-age Drinking

Mr. Swire
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the extent of under-age drinking.

Mr. McNulty
Findings from the 2004 Offending, Crime and Justice survey revealed that 56 per cent. of 10 to 17-year-olds reported having had an alcoholic drink in the previous 12 months. This figure was highest among 16 to 17-year-olds (88 per cent.) and lowest among 10 to 13-year-olds (29 per cent).