Great Britain's Home Office plans to announce a new policy calling for fines of up to 1,000 pounds for parents of children repeatedly caught drinking alcohol, The Telegraph reported Feb. 6.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is proposing that parents of kids caught drinking be compelled to sign "parenting contracts" in which they agree to ban their children from visiting certain areas and makes parents accountable for children's drinking behavior. If kids are again caught drinking or in a prohibited area, parents could be hauled into court and fined.

Smith's underage-drinking plan also includes giving police more power to confiscate alcohol from kids and calls on the alcohol industry to step up efforts to prevent youth alcohol use. An alcohol-prevention ad campaign aimed at young drinkers also will be unveiled this summer.