Intervention on Alcohol Abuse

When the Defence Select Committee published its seventh report recently, we became aware that levels of alcohol abuse were higher in the Armed Forces than in the general population. I was glad to be able to make an intervention in a recent Debate on alcohol abuse, and I am pleased that this problem is gaining recognition, and hope the Government will act on our recommendations to improve the situation.

John Glen (Salisbury) (Con): Throughout society there are different instances of alcohol misuse. In the armed forces, in the under-35 age group, alcohol misuse among men is more than double that in the normal population. Does the hon. Gentleman not think that that underscores the fact that a Government approach must recognise pressures in all different elements of society and the different phases at which interventions need to take place?

Jim Shannon: I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. I agree wholeheartedly and I think that all other hon. Members do. There are different levels. I was developing a point about young people, but there is a drink culture in the armed forces as well. Perhaps that is to do with the job that they do or the time that they spend together. Government has to address those issues.

My full views on the Seventh Report are available here, and the report itself is online here.

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