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Written Question
Prisons: Alcoholic Drinks
Thursday 3rd November 2016

Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to prohibit powdered and vaporised alcohol in prisons.

Answered by Lord Keen of Elie - Shadow Minister (Justice)

All forms of alcohol are prohibited within prisons. Unauthorised possession of any such item is a disciplinary offence which can result in additional days in prison.

It is a criminal offence under the Prison Act to convey alcohol into or out of a prison or to pass it to a prisoner.

Written Question
Alcoholic Drinks: Children
Wednesday 4th February 2015

Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prosecutions there have been for alcohol sales to those under the age of 18 since the new maximum fine for the offence was introduced; how many such prosecutions resulted in the maximum fine being applied; and how many prosecutions in the same period resulted in fines exceeding the previous maximum.

Answered by Lord Faulks

Fines imposed in individual cases are entirely a matter for the independent courts within the limits set by Parliament and following any relevant sentencing guidelines. The law requires that the amount of any fine must reflect both the seriousness of the offence and the known financial circumstances of the offender.

HM Courts and Tribunals Service takes the issue of fine enforcement very seriously and is working to ensure that clamping down on fine defaulters is a continued priority nationwide. Over recent years we have overseen improvements to the collection of financial penalties. There was a total of £290m collected against fines and related impositions in 2013/14 which was a record high.

In April 2012 the Government raised the maximum fine for the offence of persistently selling alcohol to a person under the age of 18 from £10,000 to £20,000 in cases where alcohol has been sold twice within a period of three months from the same premises.

The number of defendants proceeded against for offences involving sale of alcohol to those under the age of 18 in England and Wales from 2009 to 2013 can be viewed in the table attached.

In this time-period, no offender has been sentenced at any court in England and Wales, to the maximum penalty for the offences of persistently selling alcohol to children; of selling alcohol to a person aged under 18 years, or of allowing the sale of alcohol to a person under 18 years.

Between April 2012 and December 2013 no offender has received a fine above the previous maximum for the offence of persistently selling alcohol to children.

Court proceedings data for 2014 are planned for publication in Spring 2015.

Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 18 Jul 2014
Assisted Dying Bill [HL]

"My Lords, I, too, am grateful to my noble and learned friend Lord Falconer of Thoroton for stimulating this debate by tabling his Bill. I say that not because I support it but because I do not see him as an opponent; I still see him as a friend. I …..."
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe - View Speech

View all Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Assisted Dying Bill [HL]
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 20 Mar 2012
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill

"My Lords, I support the line taken by our Front Bench. Without any question, there are risks with referral fees but they are fairly minimal. The questions that the noble Baroness, Lady Deech, and others should ask themselves are whether they believe that there will be more of the kind …..."
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe - View Speech

View all Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 20 Mar 2012
Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill

"I, too, welcome the Government’s statement. I am one of those who have been on this journey since we commenced it in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. Like the noble Baroness, Lady Browning, I want to express my support for and gratitude to the noble Baroness, Lady …..."
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe - View Speech

View all Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 22 Jun 2011
House of Lords: Reform

"My Lords, I am in the minority in the House and on the speakers list, although I am much comforted by some of the speeches that I have just heard. It is both right and just that those who have power over the lives of others and who can make …..."
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe - View Speech

View all Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: House of Lords: Reform
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 11 May 2011
Electoral System: Alternative Vote Referendum

"My Lords—..."
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe - View Speech

View all Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Electoral System: Alternative Vote Referendum
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 19 Jan 2011
Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

"It strikes me that it might also be useful if we could have any information that you may have on the amount of research that has been undertaken in this area on the number who are registered. It seems that the problem may not be on quite the scale that …..."
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe - View Speech

View all Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill
Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 12 Jul 2010
House of Lords: Working Practices

"My Lords, I begin with a word of thanks to the Front Bench opposite for giving us this debate today, which has proved to be an excellent event. I express my gratitude to the Lord Speaker for her speech to the Hansard Society that acted as a spur for a …..."
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe - View Speech

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Speech in Lords Chamber - Mon 12 Jul 2010
House of Lords: Working Practices

"Is the noble Lord being indignant?..."
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe - View Speech

View all Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Lab - Life peer) contributions to the debate on: House of Lords: Working Practices