The issue of underage drinking won't go away. In spite of some suggestions from informed sources that the Home Office was taking the pressure off, that does not appear to be the case in certain areas of the country.
The police are often seen to be taking the lead on setting up a variety of "stings" to trap unwary traders. The results are then published as a set of statistics to show what percentage of the trade has failed the test.
But we all know about statistics. It depends what you are using as your base. If you target known problem areas, you can obtain a higher rate than in a general random operation. It is unreasonable to infer from the data you collect that it is replicated across the country.
My main concern, from reports I have received, is that the police continue to use tactics designed to trap the licensee, rather than testing whether sufficient precautions are taken. In other words, they are looking to find ways to ensure a failed test, rather than following the agreed principles that local authorities are encouraged to use.
Is this because they will be judged on the "success" of the campaign, and success does not mean, in this context, that most licensees are careful and have proper procedures in place? From the Home Office perspective, it seems that success means a high failure rate from which they can derive maximum publicity and raging headlines.
They have stopped targeting young people who are trying to buy alcohol and are relying on testing as a deterrent to traders. That is like leaving £10 notes on trains to see if anyone is dishonest instead of trying to catch thieves.
What concerns me most is that members of the licensed trade get a criminal record as a result of prosecutions in this area, even in cases where they have used best endeavours.
The overall strategy of the campaign, and the reasons behind it, should be more openly discussed. It is not enough for ministers to suggest simply that underage drinking is a problem, when that is not in itself illegal.