restricting alcohol to over 15s only

In a move that will enrage applicants for the CMO vacancy Liam Donaldson has said this morning that children under 15 should not be allowed any alcohol at all. In a double whammy press release he also linked alcohol pricing to underage drinking. Naturally Don Fucking Shenker wanted in on the deal and is quoted by the Guardian as saying

"The easy availability of alcohol at pocket-money prices is far more important, and the government should consider getting tough on cheap sales to help tackle underage drinking"

This afternoon the Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo issued a press release on behalf of the DCSF. It says

Parents have backed the Chief Medical Officer’s advice that children should avoid alcohol completely before the age of 15. Following publication of draft guidance in January this year, parents were asked what they thought. More than 26,000 people commented on the guidance, with the majority welcoming its focus on parental responsibility and the clear advice on the health effects and risks of children drinking alcohol.

Over 26,000 responses and the majority 'welcome its focus on parental responsibility'. What does the government plan to do?

In the new year the Government will launch a national public awareness campaign based on the CMO’s guidelines, to further support and advice for young people and their parents about the harmful effects of alcohol.

Totally fucking ignore them and issue more guidelines and advice (which, no doubt, will be used in the near future as a measure of parental capability). Hectoring, Nannying New Labour.