ROMSEY MP, Sandra Gidley, has introduced a bill in the House of Commons that would restrict alcohol advertising and clamp down on alcohol-related offences.

It called for PM Gordon Brown to "turn warm words into positive action" on alcohol abuse. The bill would ban TV advertising before the watershed and in cinemas, except during films with a rating of "18".

The new law would also set a date on which all alcoholic drinks would have to be labelled with the number of units they contain, along with a reminder about safe drinking limits.

Alcohol misuse costs £25bn a year, a figure which includes the cost to the NHS, where in the last nine years alone there has been a 178 per cent rise in cases of cirrhosis of the liver, while cases of alcohol poisoning have almost doubled. It also includes the cost of crime and antisocial behaviour, lost productivity at work and the cost to families.

Commenting, Ms Gidley said: "Alcohol advertising, pricing and education need to be tackled. Far too many minors are subject to aggressive adverts, which are proven to be effective. A recent study in the USA concluded that for each additional dollar per capita spent on alcohol advertising in a local market, young people drank three per cent more.

"Meanwhile, supermarkets are free to push alcohol on young people at knockdown prices. If ministers are serious about putting a stop to the binge drinking culture, they should take the need for legislation seriously.

"Alcohol is a source of great enjoyment to many, rather than a problem. However, we need to change the culture where binge drinking is acceptable - we need a sensible alcohol policy.

"In other countries, children grow up watching parents drink responsibly and they in turn learn to drink responsibly. Currently we are the drunk man' of Europe and this needs to change."