Military ID as age proof is 'sensible'

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) has backed calls for military ID to be accepted as proof of age in pubs.

The trade group is advising soldiers to call them to "iron out problems" if their ID isn't accepted.

It follows discussions with the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which is investigating the issue after high-profile reports of soldiers being turned away from pubs.

The People has been pushing for the move through its Cheers for Heroes campaign.

Defence Secretary Liam Fox told the newspaper: "At the MoD we will be looking into ways to encourage retailers to recognise military ID cards as proof of age."

A British Beer & Pub Association spokesman said: "We fully support the campaign. It's just common sense that military ID should be acceptable as proof of age.

"That's why we have advised army personnel to contact us, so we can help iron out any problems if they arise."

Robert Humphreys, who chairs the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS), said: "We would fully support licensed premises accepting official ID or PASS-accredited cards."

He said issues involving army ID in pubs usually only arise in specific areas — near army barracks, for example.

But Humphreys added: "If the trade had to amend posters and training materials, that might take a bit of time."

An MoD spokesman said pubs would need clear guidance on how to identify genuine military ID from fake documents.

He added: "We can't force the pub trade to do any-thing. We could possibly look at writing to the big chains saying, 'would you consider this'?"