WHISKY FIRM FORCED TO BACK DOWN ON JOB CLAIMS

WHISKY FIRM FORCED TO BACK DOWN ON JOB CLAIMS

MATHESON DEMANDS ACCURACY AND APOLOGY

Whisky firm Whyte and MacKay has backed down over ludicrous claims made to the Scottish Parliament’s Health committee last week.

In new evidence which has been published ahead of their reappearance at the Committee tomorrow on the impact of minimum pricing the suggestion that it could lead to the closure of their Grangemouth bottling plant has been withdrawn in a humiliation for the industry’s campaign against SNP efforts to tackle Scotland’s problematic relationship with alcohol.

The firm gave evidence to the Health committee last week but has been called back after it emerged the evidence was based on false assumptions – that minimum pricing would apply across the UK at 50 pence. Their new evidence continues to work on a 50pence minimum price – despite all material from the Government focussing on a 40p price.

SNP Health committee member Michael Matheson said:

“Whyte and MacKay must apologise to the Committee and to the Parliament when they give evidence tomorrow.

“Their evidence last week was a sensational attempt to attack a key proposal to improve our health, economy and cut crime.

“It is deeply disturbing that despite having to return to committee and to submit new evidence Whyte and MacKay are continuing to base their assumptions on a 50p per unit price, instead of the 40p per unit that has been widely used by others.

“As Whyte and MacKay know a 40 pence price would result in a minimum price for a bottle of whisky of £11.20 – not £14 as they are claiming.

“It is deeply irresponsible of this firm, which employs people from my constituency to needlessly scare people about their jobs while we are recovering from recession.

“If the industry wants its concerns to be taken seriously then it must present them and engage in the debate honestly.”