John Mann MP has set up a Bassetlaw Youth Alcohol Panel to consider the issues surrounding alcohol abuse and young people. The Panel are a group of young people from John Mann’s constituency and today they launched a Public Inquiry into the issue.

In a session chaired by 17 year old Thomas Williams, Notts Chief Constable Stephen Green raised concerns about the marketing of alco pops and similar flavoured alcoholic drinks to young people.  Chief Constable Green commented that “there is an industry out there seeking to exploit young people”.  Thomas Williams then challenged the drinks industry to respond to these comments.

Today, the Inquiry Panel are also questioning the Minister for Drugs, local health representatives and a local journalist.

As part of a wider investigation that will ultimately result in a report that John and the young people plan to present to Government, the panel will try to ascertain what problems are both caused and faced by young people with regard to alcohol abuse, as well as how perceptions are fuelling potentially unfair media reporting.