Correction to PQ1131257

Thursday 28th April 2022 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Maggie Throup)]

I would like to inform the House that a written answer given by the Minister for Care and Mental Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Chichester (Gillian Keegan), on 2 February 2022, UIN 113125 to the hon. Member for Central Ayrshire (Dr Whitford) was incorrect.

In the response to Question 113125, it was stated that the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines do not include specific guidelines on consumption of alcohol by children and young people. This remains the case. However, the answer should have stated that in 2009, the then Chief Medical Officer for England published guidance on the consumption of alcohol by children and young people. A copy of the chief medical officer’s guidelines can be found at: https://www.ias.org.uk/uploads/pdf/News%20stories/doh-report-171209.pdf

No assessment has been made of the accessibility of this guidance, however the guidance document was erroneously archived from gov.uk and has now been republished at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/alcohol-consumption-by-children-and-young-people. The Department continues to promote the guidelines in England which apply to children and young people through online platforms such as NHS.UK and the Talk to FRANK online resource, and gov.uk. Local authorities promote these guidelines as part of their public health duties.

[HCWS803]