Cabinet plans to curb teenage drinking by allowing local councils to set their own legal drinking age are criticised by MPs in today’s Volkskrant.

‘It is important to send out a proper message, so it is not sensible to allow each local authority to set its own age limit,’ said Liberal MP Edith Schippers.
The plans, which also give mayors more powers to fine shops and cafés as well as juvenile drinkers themselves, were presented by ministers yesterday.
Other MPs said they were concerned that youngsters would simply cross the border into other local authority areas where the drinking age was lower.
‘This feels like stepping away from the problem,’ Socialist MP Renske Keijten told the paper. ‘Too much is being left in the hands of councils.’