Mr Brown obtained figures from the Scottish Government which showed that, across Scotland, 111 people were proceeded against for selling to under-age persons in 2007/08.

During the same year, 110 people were prosecuted for purchasing alcohol for children — understood to be about one in every five cases recorded by the police.

In Tayside, eight sellers and ten so-called “proxy” purchasers were proceeded against, while in Fife the figures were three sellers and six purchasers.

Mr Brown told the Tele that the figures were “tremendously small right across the board” and less than would be expected given the amount of under-age drinking in Scotland.

“The previous Executive began test purchasing, which involved young people going in and trying to buy alcohol, and that is leading to an increase in prosecutions,” he said.

“There is also evidence that when somebody is caught out during a test purchase they are less likely to do it again, so it has a deterrent effect.”

Mr Brown said he also believed increasing numbers of police on the country’s streets, particularly community patrols, would help address the problem.

“But that’s just one thing,” he added.

“There needs to be a greater degree of commitment by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to taking forward prosecutions or referral to the Children’s Panel or action by social work.

“It would be wrong to judge it entirely by prosecutions though, as we would far rather shops didn’t sell to young people in the first place.”

The politician also said there was a minority of “irresponsible” parents who were knowingly letting their offspring drink alcohol.

Mr Brown added, “I remember one shopkeeper telling me kids who were being refused alcohol were then having their parents go in to buy it for them.”