A summer blitz on underage and binge drinking has been announced as latest Home Office figures show a 10 per cent rise in violent crime.

Government Response: Home Office

Home Office Minister Hazel Blears said: "It is clear from these figures that crime trends are changing. Property crimes, that constitute the vast majority of overall crime, continue to fall. There are increases in violent crime and, as our research on violent crime makes clear, this needs to be put into context. Improvements in the way police record crimes mean that forces now have a clearer picture of crime in their area and that low level thuggery, anti social behaviour and alcohol-related crime which are included in the violent crime figures, are recorded more accurately. Much of this crime is alcohol related, happens at night or at weekends, with young men the most likely victims – this is why our Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England is so important.

"Today we are publishing further guidelines and measures to tackle alcohol related crime and disorder including a police led campaign to cut down on under-age drinking and the chaotic drink-fuelled scenes often found in our town and city centres at throwing out time. This will begin with a series of seminars to inform our partners - including those involved in the alcohol industry - about the powers available to them to tackle alcohol-related crime and disorder. This will be followed by sting enforcement operations, to track down on those who are selling to underage drinkers. These irresponsible premises will be named and shamed and could be in jeopardy of losing their license.

"Out of control drinking can turn a night out into a nightmare. Seventy per cent of weekend night admissions to casualty are due to alcohol and in 50 per cent of violent crimes the attacker is intoxicated. The time has come to say enough is enough. The government is cracking down on irresponsible landlords who encourage binge drinking, we are going to put an end to no-go city centres – reclaiming them for decent, law abiding citizens.

"We are working hard to tackle the problem of low level thuggery and more serious violence. We have tough new powers in the Ant-Social Behaviour Act and fixed penalty notices to deal with disorder and harassment are now being used in every police force in the country. We are increasing police powers to tackle domestic violence in the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Bill - the first reform of domestic violence law in thirty years and this week the most radical overhaul of sex offence laws for over 50 years to strengthen protection for the public from dangerous sex offenders comes into force.

"The government still has work to do, but the BCS figures show that people are realising that crime is actually going down - people are less worried about burglary, vehicle crime and violent crime than they were last year and less people think that anti-social behaviour is a problem in their area. We are not complacent and there is still a great deal to do but this does highlight that our work on the ground is having an impact."

Forum Response: Alcohol Concern

Chief executive of Alcohol Concern Eric Appleby said: "The increase in alcohol related violent crime is disturbing but not surprising. Violence and disorder is often focused around and outside pubs and clubs with around 23,000 incidents occurring every week. The Industry must shoulder its fair share of responsibility for the problem of binge drinking by acting to curb the growth of irresponsible cut price promotions and by helping to pay for the extra costs of policing and street cleaning their business generates.

"We are pleased to see that the government and the police are taking further steps to tackle under age sales and believe it is vital that these new initiatives are sustained in the longer term rather than being a mere one-off splash of publicity.  They also need to be backed up by other efforts to change our drinking culture.  We can't afford to continue to celebrate drunkenness in the way that all too many of us still do."

Forum Response: British National Temperance League

Chief execuitve of BNTL Barbara Biggs said: "Whilst here at BNTL we welcome any initiative to tackle the scourge of our young people indulging in binge drinking leading to risky behaviour and often violence the shame is once again the police are expected to deal with it.