HUNDREDS of boozed-up children were taken to accident and emergency wards in Yorkshire and Humberside last year.
Figures from the Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) show 860 under-18s were admitted for alcohol misuse in the 2006-7 financial year.
That was up 11% on the number admitted six years ago.
In 2000-1, the three former SHAs that were later merged to form the Yorkshire SHA recorded a combined figure of 775 admissions.
The number of under-18s taken to accident and emergency (A&E) wards nationally was 8,245 in 2006-7 – up from 5,981 in 2000-1.
The figures coincide with a report from charity Crime Concern, which said 40% of children claimed they started drinking at 13 and 29% said they drank to get drunk.
Fewer than 100 people a year are punished for trying to buy alcohol under age.
Kevin Hollinrake, the Tory parliamentary candidate for Dewsbury, said the figures were a concern.
He said: “Under-age drinking harms young people and fuels youth crime and anti-social behaviour.
“Labour ministers talk endlessly about cracking down on alcohol-related violence, but these new figures expose the Government’s complacency.”
He said laws on under-age drinking were not being properly enforced.
“We also need greater social responsibility and an end to some parents turning a blind eye to their children’s drinking.”
The statistics on under-age drinking were revealed as leading doctors criticised ministers for failing to tackle Britain’s drinking “epidemic”.
A study from the British Medical Association (BMA) said stronger Government action was needed to cut alcohol abuse.
The BMA’s report called for higher taxes on alcohol, an end to “irresponsible” promotional activities like happy hours, clearer labelling of alcohol and a lower drink driving limit.
Supermarket giant Tesco demanded action on the price of alcohol.
The company said it wanted to work with the Government on new laws to ensure “responsible pricing”.
