Binge Drinking

Part of Oral Answers to Questions — Home Office – in the House of Commons at 2:30 pm on 31 January 2005.

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Photo of Hazel Blears Hazel Blears Minister of State (Home Office) (Policing, Security and Community Safety), Member, Labour Party National Executive Committee 2:30, 31 January 2005

No, I do not accept that at all. Some 4,000 fixed penalty notices were issued in the 13 days over Christmas, which is a tremendous testament to the hard work of the police service in carrying out proactive policing, issuing on-the-spot fines and facing young people with the consequences of their behaviour. If you get a fine of £80 on your night out, Mr. Speaker, it ought to act as a pretty significant deterrent, and it would certainly mean that you would have less money to spend on drink. I can tell the hon. Lady that some 50 per cent. of fixed penalty notices are paid straight away and up to 75 per cent. are paid when they become a fine, which is not a bad record for an on-the-spot penalty.