LOCAL PROVISION OF ALCOHOL SERVICES

That this House recognises the broad range of health and social harm that alcohol misuse causes in communities; is concerned that levels of alcohol misuse and indicators of alcohol-related harm, particularly among young people are on the increase; notes as an example of this the recently published Communities that Care survey of 14,000 secondary school students that found a large number are taking part in binge drinking on a regular basis; further notes as another example the report by the Chief Medical Officer highlighting that liver cirrhosis is starting to strike at younger ages with, in the last 30 years, an eight-fold increase in men aged 35 to 44, and a seven-fold increase in women of the same age; regards with dismay the ongoing decline in funding sources for the provision of essential alcohol services at a local level to assist individuals with alcohol-related problems at as early a stage as possible; and calls upon the Secretaries of State for Health and for Transport, Local Government and the Regions to put in place a statutory framework to require adequate provision at a local level of alcohol services to support communities.