Mr. Campbell commented:
“This has been a crass and
unforgivable move by the Labour party. They have
apparently rejected the minimum pricing of alcohol without even waiting
to hear the evidence on this Bill. They have dismissed out of hand the
advice of a whole range of experts who
are adamant that minimum pricing
is one of the most effective ways of dealing with the huge and growing
problems
of alcohol misuse in Scotland.”
“Let us not forget, however, that this important measure has also been blocked
by the Liberal Democrats who cannot be allowed to hide behind Iain Gray and the Labour Party who are facing understandable
public and professional outrage.”
“In 2008 new fewer than 74 people died from alcohol related causes in the Kingdom of Fife. Six and a half
thousand alcohol related crimes were recorded in Fife last year. Yet the position adopted by the Liberal Democrats will allow
all this to go unchecked.” “It will not be the whisky industry, pubs,
clubs or moderate
drinkers who will be affected by the SNP government's
radical proposal. It aims instead to tackle the cheapest brands
of drink which are being sold at irresponsibly low prices. Most responsible drinkers will agree that if we continue to sell
alcohol for less than water in some places in Scotland we are storing up a massive problem for our country - ones which the
opposition parties seem completely unwilling to face up to."
Notes
The following
comments have been issued in reaction to the likely blocking of the Scottish Government’s Bill.
Jack Law, chief exec, Alcohol Focus Scotland:
‘Alcohol Focus Scotland is
profoundly disappointed at the position
Labour has taken in advance of evidence to the Health Committee. This
flies
in the face of all the advice and evidence from Public Health and
other experts who have to deal with alcohol related
harm. Establishing
a minimum price for alcohol is the most important element of the range
of proposals the Government
is proposing in the Alcohol Bill, and its
rejection by Labour is a major blow which could set back our attempts
to make a positive change to Scotland’s drinking culture.’
Commenting on the Labour Party’s decision not to support the Bill, Dr
Keighley, BMA Scotland added:
“I am especially disappointed that the Labour group has decided not
to
support minimum pricing - a decision that will blot their excellent
track record on public health policy. It
is a premature step by the
party in an attempt to derail this legislation before it’s even begun.
I am confounded
by their announcement and I would urge them to
consider, with an open mind, the evidence that will be presented at
stage 1 of the Bill’s process. By listening to the overwhelming
evidence in support of minimum pricing, I believe
that the Party’s
concerns could easily be resolved.
Prof Sir Neil Douglas, President of the Royal College of Physicians of
Edinburgh, said,
“We are deeply disappointed that opposition politicians have chosen the
day of publication of the Alcohol
Bill to signal their intent to vote
down this vital legislation. The death toll and ill-health in Scotland
attributable
to excessive alcohol consumption has reached an appalling
level, with 3 Scots dying every day as a result of such abuse.
It is
even more disappointing that opposition politicians have elected to
determine their position before the
Health and Sport Committee has had
an opportunity to receive and review the evidence on this area as part
of the
democratic process. We would urge politicians of all parties to
put the interests of the people of Scotland ahead of
party politics and
to recognise that the time has come for action and not more words.
Further delay may only result
in the preventable loss of Scots’ lives”
The Bill's key proposals include:
* A minimum price per unit of alcohol to
raise the cost of the cheapest
ciders, lagers and low-grade spirits favoured by problem drinkers
* A ban on irresponsible
off-sales promotions which encourage excessive
drinking
* A duty on licensing boards to consider raising the off-sales
purchase
age to 21 where appropriate to develop local solutions to local problems
* A power to introduce a 'social
responsibility fee' on some retailers
to offset the costs of dealing with drink problems.
Background
1. Depending on its progress through Parliament, it
is anticipated the
Bill could be on the statute books towards the end of 2010.
2. A proposal to ensure that wine
was available in 125ml glasses in
on-sales premises has not been included in the Bill. This has been done
to avoid
any potential concerns over whether the proposal related to
weights and measures legislation, a matter reserved to Westminster
and
therefore to ensure the Bill received a clean bill of legal competence
from Parliamentary lawyers.
3.
Independent research carried out by the University of Sheffield has
shown the potential benefits to Scotland of introducing
a minimum
retail price per unit of alcohol.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/09/28081626
4. A survey of supermarket drink prices has shown that minimum pricing
would
target cheap, high-strength products while leaving others
untouched.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/11/04152521
5. Research shows alcohol-related illnesses could be killing one in 20
Scots
- one person every three hours. A study totalled the proportion
of 53 different causes of death in which alcohol consumption
played a
part, to show that nearly 3,000 deaths in 2003 were alcohol-related.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/06/30102232
6. The most recent figures showed that alcohol-related discharges from
Scottish
hospitals had hit an all-time high of nearly 42,500 - a 20 per
cent jump in five years.
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/02/24094937
www.nefsnp.org
