Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of lowering the age for alcohol purchasing to 16.

The Government has no plans to lower the legal age for purchasing alcohol from 18 in England and Wales.

This is consistent with the Licensing Act 2003 objective of protecting children from harm.

It remains an offence to sell alcohol to under-18s and licensed premises must operate robust age-verification policies, as set out in the mandatory licensing conditions and statutory guidance.