Parents whose children are caught drinking alcohol could face fines after the Justice Secretary called for a tougher parental responsibility approach to underage drinking.
Parents would face prosecution under antisocial behaviour legislation, resulting in parenting orders which, if breached, could lead to fines of up to £1000 or the child taken into care.
Shops or adults supplying children with alcohol also face stricter penalties with Kenny MacAskill warning the Scottish Government will focus on cutting off the supply lines. Mr MacAskill said: "Parents have a responsibility that could see them and their children appearing before a children's panel.
"They can also incur financial penalties such as fines, if they allow their children to fall dangerously under the influence. It is one thing to give your child a glass of wine to show alcohol can be taken sensibly, but it is quite another to let your child go to a venue drunk."
Shopkeepers are already under scrutiny with teams of teenagers used in test purchasing to weed out off-sales prepared to serve under-age drinkers.
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