More than 80 children were arrested for alcohol-related offences in Sutton in 2008, while 14 per cent of schoolchildren in the borough admitted they had been drinking, a report revealed.
The London Assembly Health and Public Services Committee’s investigation on young Londoners’ drinking habits also revealed an increase of 74.4 per cent in Sutton in alcohol-specific hospital admissions, a figure higher than the national average, in 2005-2006 compared with the year before.
It recommended alcohol-harm reduction champions should be appointed in Sutton and Kingston because of the soaring, and above average, hospital admissions.
According to the report, girls aged 11 to 15 are drinking more heavily and have been drinking as much as boys.
Hospital admissions for these girls are almost double those for boys of the same age because of their lower alcohol tolerance.
The investigation also found there had been a big increase in the proportion of young people from Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities who drank and raised concern this increase could be the start of a trend.
Tom Brake, MP for Carshalton and Wallington, said: “The figures for Sutton are deeply worrying. We need firm action now to bring the level of drunkenness under control.
"The council, schools, teachers, parents, the health service, local charities, retailers, pubs, politicians and the police all have a responsibility to stem this alcoholic tide.
“If there is no concerted action to deal with this problem, I will convene a summit to pull together all the bodies with an interest in tackling under-age drinking to identify effective solutions.”
James Cleverly AM, chairman of the London assembly health and public services committee, said: “Young people’s drinking is having serious repercussions on their health and on public services.
“We hope this report will highlight the problem, as well as outlining a set of recommendations that will help young Londoners stay safe with alcohol and to ensure this issue is given the priority it deserves.”
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