Mark Williams MP supports the new CymruWales CitizenCard
Mr Mark Williams, on Friday 23 March 2012 adds his support to the new CymruWales CitizenCard in Aberystwyth. Mr Williams called on local retailers to support the 'No ID, No Sale!' campaign which seeks to ensure that only adults can buy lottery, tobacco and other age-restricted goods. Mark was speaking at Castle News (Aberystwyth SY23), where he was joined by the proprietor Mrs Premji Kerai and CitizenCard's Marketing Manager Nigel Catlow.
The Ceredigion MP said that following the new government's decision to abolish National ID cards, schemes such as CitizenCard were essential:
I already have 320 CitizenCard cardholders in my constituency but I am urging all young adults in Ceredigion to obtain a CitizenCard or similar ID that contains the police-endorsed PASS hologram. Only then can retailers fully implement the 'No ID, No Sale!' policy which allows adults to buy whatever they wish whilst ensuring that children cannot buy alcohol, tobacco and other restricted goods.
Mrs Kerai who owns the shop with her husband, is mindful that they face a fine of up to £10,000 if caught persistently selling restricted products to under-18s:
We have no wish to supply cigarettes or age-restricted products to children and we offer our younger customers a CitizenCard form which means they can prove their age. Every week we face dozens of attempts to buy tobacco by young people and if they cannot present valid ID we always refuse the sale.
More than two million CitizenCards have been issued across the UK since the scheme was launched by then Home Office Minister George Howarth in February 1999. The CymruWales CitizenCard is our first bi-lingual PASS card and CitizenCard has worked closely with Anglesey Council to launch and promote the initiative. Since the launch in January 2012, we are pleased to say the initiative is spreading to other regions within Wales, thus allowing students in full time education an opportunity to receive a free CitizenCard and retailers to promote the 'No ID No Sale!' message as part of their due diligence.
