MP 'EXTREMELY CONCERNED' AS FIGURES SHOW RICHMOND UNDERAGE DRINKING IS HIGHEST IN LONDON

3.11.01pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 22nd Jun 2009

Susan Kramer, MP for Richmond Park and North Kingston has expressed her concern at new figures that show underage drinking in Richmond Borough is the highest in London.

A survey of 10 to 15 year olds, carried out in spring last year, found that 18 per cent of respondents from Richmond, and 11 per cent of those from Kingston had got drunk in the last month.

The figures put Richmond at the highest in London and Kingston joint sixth.

The survey was released as part of a report into underage drinking by the London Assembly's Health and Public Services Committee.

Susan Kramer commented:

"We have simply got to get the message out to young people and their parents that binge drinking is seriously damaging to health. It is really worrying that so many of our young people are drinking to excess at such a young age.

"As well as harming health, binge drinking has a negative impact on our local community, fuelling anti-social behaviour and disorder."

"Our local police are sensibly using powers to declare dispersal zones where alcohol-related disorder is a problem.

"But the Government remains focused on tackling hard drugs. We continue to fight an ongoing battle to get the proper funding we need for alcohol treatment and education programmes."

Related Links:

The full report.

PDF of survey results by borough.