Youth alcohol action plan will be published next year

Published: 23 July, 2008

Spring 2008 has been revealed as the release date for a youth alcohol action plan.

The Government's Children's Plan was launched today with goals outlined for 2020 and 1 billion of funding earmarked for the plan over the next three years.

Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families Ed Balls said the alcohol action plan would be published around the same time as the new drugs strategy in 2008.

Next year's plan will aim to improve alcohol education in schools and consider the case for further action on alcohol advertising.

Balls added: "Our job is to intervene early to prevent children engaging in risky behaviours like drug taking or binge drinking, disengaging from education or getting into crime."

Speaking at the weekend ahead of the publication of the plan, the Schools Secretary raised his concerns over the nature of alcohol advertising and cited research by Alcohol Concern claiming there is a "spike" in alcohol advertising between 4pm and 6pm.

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