On Tuesday, I had the opportunity to raise an issue in Parliament as part of the Summer Adjournment debate, which as an MP and a woman, I have a particular interest in.

Alcohol misuse among women has risen steadily since the 1960s. In certain cases where consumption is consistently above the weekly guidelines, this has had worrying implications for their health. It was also interesting to note that professional and managerial women confess to drinking almost double that of women in routine and low income jobs and that women often prefer to drink at home. How do we effectively measure the scale of the problem given its in the home? How can the Government affect change in women’s drinking habits?

Of course, alcohol misuse and drinking at home is not just confined to women – men continue to drink more alcohol and as a result, are more likely to develop issues of dependency and alcohol-related harms. However, I was pleased to raise my concerns and my own experiences with the Minister – I will be following-up this issue when Parliament returns in the coming months.

My contribution to the debate can be viewed here:http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debate/?id=2012-07-17a.883.0