New laws to tackle binge drinking are to be unveiled, which Home Secretary Jacqui Smith hopes will end scenes of "people lying on the pavements and being sick".

Pubs, clubs and shops face a ban on "irresponsible" price promotions and could be forced to offer smaller glasses after ministers declared self-regulation had failed.

The police will also get tougher powers to confiscate alcohol from youngsters, and prosecute those that sell it to them, and street drinkers will face massively increased fines.

Legislation to be announced in Wednesday's Queen's speech will include the new measures.

Under the new regime, anyone caught drinking in one of the 600 or so designated "no drinking" areas in town centres across the country could be fined £2,500 - five times the present maximum.

Police will no longer have to prove youngsters with alcohol intended to drink it before being able to confiscate it - making it easier for them to take unopened bottles and cans.

Under 18s caught with alcohol three times in a year will face possible £1,000 fines and officers will also get powers to disperse groups of younger children - aged as young as ten.

And shops will get less warnings about underage selling - facing punishment if they are caught doing it twice in a two-month period rather than three times.

Ms Smith said the sort of things she wanted to see outlawed were "drink as much as you can" for a set price nights, ladies-drink-free promotions and games that encourage binge drinking.

"I don't think any of us want to have our city centres with people lying on the pavements and being sick," Ms Smith said.

"All of us have a responsibility therefore, to take action on that. That is additional support for the police, which we will provide, and it's also saying that industry has to take a responsibility alongside that as well."

© Independent Television News Limited 2009. All rights reserved.