English alcohol plan 'humiliates' Scottish Lib Dems and Tories
Plans for the minimum pricing of alcohol, unveiled by the coalition at Westminster, have "humiliated" Lib Dems and the Tories in Scotland, it has been claimed.
- By David Clegg, political reporter
- Published in the Courier : 19.01.11
- Published online : 19.01.11 @ 01.40pm
The two parties united with Labour to shoot down a minimum booze price scheme for Scotland when it was brought forward by the SNP last year.
Now the Nats say moves to clamp down on binge drinking in England have highlighted Tory and Lib Dem "hypocrisy."
Home affairs spokesman Pete Wishart said, "This is not just hypocrisy from the Tories and Lib Dems, but a humiliation for their Scottish parties who, despite overwhelming professional evidence for it, voted down minimum pricing plans just weeks ago.
"Instead of blocking the Scottish Government's sensible plan backed by health professionals for a genuine minimum price, Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems should have supported the life-saving legislation put forward by the SNP for the benefit of Scotland and our National Health Service."
He added, "It is good that the Tories and Lib Dems now agree with the principle of minimum pricing in England, but is shocking that they and Labour refused to put politics aside to introduce it in Scotland, where the problem of alcohol abuse is even more acute than it is south of the border."
Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon wanted a minimum price of 45p per unit of alcohol.
The new measure on its way to drinkers in England would mean that alcohol cannot be sold for less than the price of excise duty plus VAT.
That is still well below the level called for at Holyrood last year and Scottish Tory health spokesman Murdo Fraser says he backs the plan.
200 fewer anual deaths
He said, "I warmly welcome this move by the UK Government for a ban on below cost sales of alcohol in England.
"This is exactly what we have called for in Scotland for over a year now."
He added, "I repeat my call to the SNP today — join with us and ban sales of alcohol below cost price in Scotland, so that the whole of the UK can take concerted action."
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said, "We are pleased that the UK Government has followed our lead by recognising that low price alcohol needs to be addressed.
"However, we rejected the idea of a ban on sales below duty because it would not have any impact on alcohol-related deaths, hospital admissions or crime.
"This is because the minimum price created by this approach is so low that it is unlikely that any products would be affected."
She added, "If our proposal for a 45p minimum price was taken forward in Scotland after 10 years we would have seen 200 fewer deaths per year, 40,000 fewer crimes and a £700m saving to the taxpayer."
Meanwhile, a leading NHS Tayside figure has criticised plans to introduce a minimum price for alcohol in England and Wales.
Plan 'would make no difference'
Consultant psychiatrist and Tayside Alcohol Problems Service chief Dr Peter Rice said plans to curtail drinking there will not work as they fail to target supermarket discounts.
While proposals may affect smaller retailers, Dr Rice believes supermarket chains will be able to overcome these plans and fail to tackle Britain's relationship with the bottle.
He said, "The problem with the English proposal is that it will not affect the price of alcohol in stores.
"The prices there are so low that it would make no difference."
He added, "I think the best example I can give is cider which, if I'm correct, could be priced at 10p per unit.
"All cases made in Scotland said that minimum pricing needed to be 40-50p per unit before having a beneficial effect."
Claiming that the coalition plans would work, Home Office minister James Brokenshire said, "I think it's very clear that we are actually setting a base price for the first time in this country — it won't be possible to sell alcohol below duty plus VAT and that does provide that floor."
01.50pm - 19.01.2011 exdundee - Milton Keynes, Bucks Report This
Yet something else that they increase the level of every year! This will not make a blind bit of difference...these teenage binge drinkers have a higher disposable income than I do..and I work full-time! Good on Scotland for NOT doing it!
02.13pm - 20.01.2011 Muscleguy - Broughty Ferry, Scotland Report This
@Exdundee<br /> The price of alcohol in real terms has been falling for years. I suspect that it is your tastes that have gone up not the real cost. I wouldn't be caught dead drinking the really cheap stuff and hope I never get that desperate.
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