SCOTTISH OPPOSITION SPLIT FROM UK COLLEAGUES OVER MINIMUM PRICING
COMMONS SELECT COMMITTEE BACKS SCOTTISH ACTION
SUPPORT GROWS AT WESTMINSTER FOR SNP APPROACH
An influential cross party committee of MPs looks set to recommend the UK
Government follow the Scottish Government's example and impose a minimum
price on alcohol, according to newspaper reports.
The House of Commons Select Committee is expected to publish a major
report on alcohol containing the recommendation that a minimum price per
unit be imposed to tackle problem drinking later this week. The report
will also acknowledge the crippling effect of alcohol abuse on the NHS.
Commenting on the report, Committee Chair and Labour MP Kevin Barron said:
"Ministers need to be looking at other solutions than what they are
already looking at".
The Committee's report follows on from a New Year's message by Liberal
Democrat Health Spokesperson Norman Lamb, who also called for the measure:
“Ministers have shown a complete lack of leadership on this issue. They
should take the advice of their own Chief Medical Officer and introduce a
minimum price for alcohol.”
Commenting, SNP MSP Michael Matheson, who is a member of the Health
Committee, said:
"Labour and Lib Dems politicians in the UK Parliament recognise minimum
pricing is the a practical approach to tackling our problem relationship
with booze. Their colleagues in the Scottish Parliament must follow this
lead and back the SNP's proposals.
“The 3,000 deaths, 42,000 hospital stays, and 110,000 GP visits linked to
alcohol annually are causing misery for families and communities,
burdening our public services and sapping Scotland's economic potential.
"As a Parliament, our priority must be improving the public health of
Scotland and minimum pricing is a workable measure which will help to do
this by targeting high strength booze sold at pocket money prices.
"As MSPs come back from their Christmas break, it's time to put Scotland's
health before supermarket profits and party politics."
1. Further details of the House of Commons Health Committee report can be
found here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/
2. Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson Norman Lamb MP's comments can be
found here:
http://www.libdems.org.uk/
3. The SNP's minimum pricing proposals are widely supported by a number of
agencies including all four chief medical officers, the Royal College of
Physicians, senior police and the licensed trade as well as opposition
politicians in the Welsh Assembly and two former Scottish Labour Health
Ministers. For more information see: http://www.snp.org/node/15982
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