PROPOSALS to prosecute parents who give alcohol to under-15s - even with a meal at home - would not solve binge drinking and could create more problems, drinks producers have said.

Alcohol Concern made the recommendation as part of a wide-ranging set of proposals to cut child drinking.

It highlighted figures - first published in November last year by the NHS - which showed the amount of booze consumed by 11 to 13-year-olds has rocketed in recent years.

The Portman Group, set up by drinks producers which together supply the majority of the alcohol sold in the UK, said there was a case for raising the drinking age.

But it pointed out that the continent does not suffer from binge drinking issues and children there are given moderate amounts of alcohol in a controlled way.

Its chief executive David Poley said: "There is a case for raising the drinking age at home from five, but 15 seems too high.

"On the continent, parents give children small amounts of alcohol at home with their meals in a controlled way so they get used to drinking in moderation.

Issues

"They don't suffer from binge drinking issues."

He said the proposal would not tackle the root of the problem - unsupervised drinking by children in places like parks.

He said: "It should be left to parents to decide when to allow their children to drink.

"Saying no to children will only increase the appeal of alcohol and could create even more problems."

The Portman Group was established to encourage responsible drinking and help prevent alcohol misuse.

TV chef Aldo Zilli advised that education was key - and highlighted cultural differences to attitudes to alcohol.

Zilli, who came to England after attending catering college in Italy, told the BBC's Breakfast programme: "I can only speak from the way it happened to me and what happened in my family.

Educate

"You should educate them, but explain the trouble that you can go through if you start drinking shots of vodka and shorts."

The chef, who appeared on the programme with his grown-up daughter Laura, added: "I don't classify wine as alcohol, somehow".

He said that he came from a big family and was given a glass of wine with meals from the age of 12 or 13.

"The problem with this country is that it doesn't stop there," he said, adding: "In Italy the culture is different."

His daughter said she enjoyed a "nice bottle of wine" with friends, rather than going binge drinking.

The NHS figures showed that girls in the 11 to 13 age group who had drunk alcohol in the previous week admitted to consuming an average of just over eight units in 2006, compared with just under five in 2000.

And boys admitted drinking an average of 12 units last year compared with eight in 2000, the survey by special NHS trust the Information Centre showed.

An Alcohol Concern spokesman said: "Currently it is legal to provide children as young as five with alcohol in a private home.

"Raising the age limit to 15 would send a stronger message to parents of the risks associated with letting very young people consume alcohol.

"We hope it would send a message to parents that underage consumption is an important issue, and may help them think about whether they are helping their child drink alcohol."

The report, entitled Glass Half Empty, looked at the impact of the Government's Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, which was published three years ago.

Alcohol Concern chief executive Srabani Sen said: "Our report shows that we are simply not doing enough to protect our children from alcohol.

Consequence

"Binge drinking by children can have serious consequences for brain function, significantly raises the risk of alcohol dependency in later life and diminishes their life chances."

The agency called for a 16% increase in alcohol taxes and a ban on brewers or retailers selling alcohol at a loss.

The law on sale of alcohol to underage children should be more vigorously enforced, the report said, after recent Home Office-led stings showed 29% of children were able to buy booze in pubs and bars.

Alcohol TV advertising should be banned before the watershed and in cinemas during programmes below the 18 certificate, it said.

Alcohol education should also become part of the National Curriculum to teach youngsters the dangers of binge drinking, the charity said.

The drink-drive limit should also be cut from 80mg in 100ml of blood to 50mg, the organisation went on.

There was "little current evidence" that extended opening hours introduced by the Government in November 2005 had led to a cut in alcohol-related offences at pub and club chucking-out time, the report said.

Public health minister Caroline Flint said: "The Government is serious about tackling alcohol-related harm and excessive consumption and recent data shows that levels of binge drinking are no longer rising.

"Recent figures showed there has been a 5% drop between 2001 and 2006, of young people aged between 11 and 15 who had drunk alcohol in the previous week.

"The new alcohol strategy to be published this summer will continue to drive reductions in alcohol related offending and harmful behaviour through a combination of education, treatment and tough penalties."

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