The Lib Dem MP and Home Office Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker visited the University of Brighton to see a Home Office-backed project that aims to change attitudes towards excessive drinking. Seven universities around the country signed up to the National Union of Students (NUS) Alcohol Impact initiative, as launched in May. The July 2012 print issue of Professional Security magazine reported how Brighton, like other towns, sees pre-loading, namely people drinking cheaper alcohol than in pubs, before they go on the town, or even carrying on drinking after clubs, on the beach.
In Brighton, the NUS is looking at ways to tackle pre-drinking in halls and promoting a culture of responsible drinking, by ensuring all bars offer non-alcoholic beverages at the same or lower price than alcoholic drinks. Norman Baker, pictured, said: “Visiting the University of Brighton gave me the chance to hear from students about the progress already being made through the NUS Alcohol Impact initiative. It is good that they welcome the opportunities to have fun without getting drunk. This Home Office-backed project is already helping universities to encourage responsible drinking – leading to safer and more productive places to study and live.”
During its recent freshers’ week, Brighton university organised a series of non-alcoholic events including café crawls, knitting workshops and film nights.
NUS Vice President (Welfare) Colum McGuire said: “Our Alcohol Impact scheme works with students’ unions and institutions to change attitudes towards drinking and to build healthier, safer, student communities. Going to university should be fun and exciting, but it’s really important too that students consume alcohol responsibly during this period and beyond.”
The seven universities taking part in the pilot are Loughborough, Nottingham, Manchester Met, Liverpool John Moores, Swansea, Royal Holloway and Brighton.
Meanwhile, ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) and the Federation of Wholesale Distributors (FWD) have pressed for more action to tackle duty fraud and the illicit trade in alcohol and tobacco at an October 8 meeting with Priti Patel MP, the Exchequer Secretary.
Non-UK duty paid tobacco and alcohol is estimated to cost the Treasury more than £2.6bn in lost revenue, and harm tens of thousands of legitimate businesses. ACS and FWD have a close working relationship with HM Revenue and Customs in developing its enforcement strategy including the development of the vitally important registration scheme for alcohol wholesalers due to commence in 2017, and both organisations chair working groups of the Joint Alcohol Anti-Fraud Taskforce.
FWD Chief Executive James Bielby said: “The battle against alcohol duty fraud is being fought on three fronts – the registration of wholesalers, new due diligence requirements for excise traders, and increased enforcement activity by HMRC. In recent weeks HMRC has made encouraging progress in its crackdown on fraudsters, and we will work with the Minister and her team to ensure that the other preventative measures are equally effective.”
And ACS Chief Executive James Lowman said: “We know that HM Revenue and Customs are committed to tackling the problem of duty fraud, and we are pleased that the Minister shares the concerns of legitimate tax-paying businesses on these issues. We reiterated our support for the new wholesale registration scheme that has a vital role to play in closing down the pervasive trade in non-UK duty paid beers wines and spirits. We are working closely with the Minister and her officials to make a wholesaler registration scheme work, and we are determined that this leads to more of those engaged in this trade being prosecuted and, in the case of irresponsible retailers, losing their licences.”
The ACS adds that it will be making a submission on duty rates as part of its submission to the Autumn Financial statement. FWD adds that it’s working with HMRC on the plans for implementing the wholesale registration scheme, which are expected to be announced by HMRC shortly.
