New Clause 1
Health Bill [Lords]
1:45 pm
Sandra Gidley (Romsey, Liberal Democrat)
I very much support the sentiments behind this new clause, because it seems odd to me as well that the proxy purchase of alcohol is a criminal offence, whereas the proxy purchase of tobacco does not seem to be one. I have not had a chance to check whether the hon. Gentleman has copied exactly the legislation that covers alcohol, but I have a slight concern that this new clause may not be tight enough. Subsection (2B) of the new clause states that a defence is that,
“he had taken all reasonable steps to establish the individual’s age, or that from the individual’s appearance nobody could have reasonably suspected that the individual was aged under 18”.
I do not know about the hon. Gentleman—he may be better at these things than I am—but I find it incredibly difficult to work out people’s ages, particularly when young girls glam themselves up. So a defence on appearance seems to be quite an easy get-out.