Nick Harvey MP has expressed growing concern at the number of children admitted to accident and emergency departments in hospitals suffering from alcohol related problems.

A&E Departments in the South West dealt with 53 cases of children below the age of 14 who had consumed dangerous levels of alcohol in 2005-6, the period for which the latest figures are available. This came to light in a Parliamentary Question asked by Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Norman Lamb MP.

Nick Harvey says, ‘These are very worrying figures and a frightening sign of how out of control the binge drinking culture in this country has become.

‘As well as causing chaos in A&Es on Friday nights and anti-social behaviour, irresponsible drinking results in serious long-term health problems. Problem start at an early age, yet the Government is failing to focus on the young who are seriously at risk.

‘A fresh look at tackling the growing problem of excessive drinking is long overdue. A good start would be cracking down on those shops that sell alcohol to underage children. Fortunately locally we have some good initiatives underway.

‘We also need to consider putting a halt to supermarkets selling drinks at rock bottom prices - with no thought as to the knock on effects this has socially or economically.’