Rural school pupils 'worst for drinking under age'

Published on Sunday 9 November 2008 21:40

MORE children are being caught drinking in rural areas than in cities, according to new figures.

In the Highlands, 33 pupils were suspended from school for drinking last year, while the figure for Edinburgh was just six.

Education experts put the disparity down to differing levels of vigilance. However, alcohol campaigners said children should not be suspended but given greater support instead.

The figures emerged in an answer to a parliamentary question from Richard Baker, Labour justice spokesman.

He said he was surprised at the statistics. "Local authorities and the Scottish Government seriously need to look at why there is a disparity between schools in rural and urban areas," he said.

"We might expect to see higher figures in rural areas because that is where we find greater numbers of complaints. Or maybe it is because they pursue it more rigorously. If there is a difference they should get to the bottom of that.

"Underage drinking should be treated with equal severity and the same approach at every school in Scotland wherever they are."

Bill Fernie, chairman of Highland Council's education committee, said teachers in the region were "more vigilant".

He said: "The council is trying to do its best but it has a difficult job to do."

Statistics have shown that around half of Scottish 15-year-olds and a third of 13-year-olds say they have drunk alcohol in the past week when quizzed.

Jack Law, chief executive of Alcohol Focus, said temporarily excluding children was not enough and he called for schools to look at providing or promoting activities as alternatives to alcohol.

He said: "Preventative interventions should also be developed to reduce the risk of harm to young people experimenting with alcohol as well as alternatives to exclusion or detention within schools."

The Scottish Government agreed and said the new curriculum would include greater alcohol awareness education. A spokeswoman pointed to the government's controversial proposal to set a minimum price and raise the off-sales purchase age to 21.

She added: "Many of the cheapest alcohol products are sold at "pocket money prices" which attract young people looking to buy the highest quantity for the lowest cost.

"We believe this will help bring about a cultural shift in our attitudes to alcohol and protect our young people from developing unhealthy drinking habits."

A crackdown on retailers who sell to children, through test-purchasing, is being rolled out across the country.