Underage boozers blunder

Dec 2 2007 by Sunday Sun

SIR TERRY LEAHY’S statement to Gordon Brown — “most of the alcohol consumed by young people is in their own home” — was a disgraceful and dangerous misrepresentation of the Institute of Alcohol Studies research.

Sir Terry Leahy, CEO of Tesco, told the Prime Minister on the BBC two weeks ago: “The evidence which we have all seen suggests that most of the alcohol consumed by young people is in their own home, probably bought by their parents.”

Sir Terry Leahy’s spokesman told The Sunday Sun that the evidence came from the Institute of Alcohol Studies.

There is no evidence from The Institute of Alcohol Studies which supports his assertion.

On the specific question, where do children usually drink?, research from the Institute of Alcohol Studies on November 20 was derived from a 1998 report which allowed children to provide several answers to the same question. The percentages are indicative and not qualified.

In answer to the question, where do you usually drink?, answers combined “at home” with “someone else’s home”, without identifying what level of supervision was present.

In the most recent research sent to me by Dr Rachel Seabrook, research manager for The Institute of Alcohol Studies, it confirms only 23 per cent of children surveyed between the age of 11 to 15 said alcohol has been given to them by their parents, and only 44pc of children surveyed said they usually drink at home.

This suggests a minority of children drink under the supervision of their parents.

Sir Terry Leahy must acknowledge his mistake and withdraw his misleading statement to the Prime Minister and his advisers.

Why did Professor Brian Prichard, chairman of the Institute of Alcohol Studies, who also attended the PM’s seminar, allow Sir Terry’s gross misrepresentation of his organisation’s research to stand unchallenged? — JOHN R BACON, CIU president candidate.