SIR – Once again the Government has demonstrated its complete lack of understanding with its publication of the home affairs select committee report into the connection between violent crime and alcohol abuse.

The chairman of this committee, Keith Vaz MP, has highlighted the statistic that “40 per cent of people assaulted in the UK report that their assailant had been drinking”, and this, according to Mr Vaz, is a good enough reason to ban pub happy hours and force shops to raise their alcohol prices.

According to the British crime survey, 2.1 million violent crimes were recorded in the UK in 2007.

Even if each of these crimes was committed by a different person, which clearly they are not, then 3.5 per cent of the population committed a violent crime in 2007.

According to Mr Vaz’s statistics, 40 per cent of these had been drinking.

So if every single violent crime committed in the UK was perpetrated by a different person, 1.4 per cent of the population of the UK committed a violent crime while drunk and 98.6 per cent of the population did not.

In reality the vast majority of crimes are committed by repeat offenders. It’s highly likely therefore that at least 99.9 per cent of the population did not commit a violent crime while drunk in 2007.

This is enough however for Mr Vaz to recommend draconian laws to increase the price of alcohol, thus penalising 99.9 per cent of the population for the actions of a few.

Once again a Labour hammer to crack a nut.

GARY WEBB,

Worcester.