Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)

Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Question reference: S3W-05331

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend test purchasing of alcohol to people under 18 to other local authority areas following the results of the pilot study in Fife.

The Society for ChiefOfficers for Trading Standards in Scotland (SCOTSS) and the Association of ChiefPolice Officers (ACPOS) in association with the Crown Office Prosecution FiscalService (COPF) have worked together to produce an operational protocol drawing onthe experiences of the Scottish test purchasing pilots. A Practical Guide ToTest Purchasing in Scotland was published on the Scottish Government websitetoday. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/10/16091941.

Publication of theguidance will enable Scottish Police Forces and Prosecution Services to preparefor the national roll out of alcohol test purchasing before the end of this year.

Question reference: S3W-05332

Asked by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2007
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 October 2007

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the success of test purchasing schemes at reducing sales of alcohol to people under 18.

The final report of the evaluation of the Fife test purchasing pilot for sales of alcoholto under 18s was published on the Scottish Government’s website today.http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/10/16091859.

During the first testpurchase visit 20% of licensed premises failed. However, only 7% of premises failedthe test purchase revisit, suggesting that the first visit had a significant impacton the practice of shop and bar staff on preventing underage sales.

This closely reflectsexperience in England and Wales where a recent report by the Home Office on testpurchasing of alcohol showed that of 9,000 attempts to test purchase alcohol byminors, 14.7% succeeded compared with 20% in 2006. Only 8% of premises made at leasttwo sales while fewer than 1% made three sales.

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