Health committee divided on alcohol pricing
May 31st, 2010 | 
Holyrood’s health committee has urged the Scottish government to specify what should be the minimum price it would be setting for alcohol.
The committee’s report on the government’s alcohol bill acknowledges the magnitude of the problem but MSPs are divided over the concern whether minimum pricing would prove effective for inhibiting alcohol consumption.
From news.bbc.co.uk:
The committee’s report on the government’s alcohol bill acknowledges the scale of the problem but MSPs are divided over whether the key measure of minimum pricing would be effective.
Doctors, the police and the licensed trade back the plans to set a minimum price per unit of alcohol.
But opposition parties are worried about the measure.
They have said it would also punish responsible drinkers.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon believes minimum pricing will help to reduce consumption, especially among problem drinkers.
She has said in the past that the government needed to take “radical action” to cut the £2.25bn cost of alcohol misuse in Scotland.
This report came a day after the Scottish Labour published the interim findings of its Alcohol Commission.
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