Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has promised the SNP Government will contest any legal challenge that may be made regarding its plans to raise the age at which alcohol may legally be purchased from an off-licence to 21.

Commenting at Holyrood’s conference on alcohol and violence today, MacAskill said the Government would defend the move, which has yet to be formalised, against any possible legal attack.

MacAskill said:

“If they wish to challenge us they are entitled to challenge us and that is why we have a court system in Scotland.”

MacAskill said his own experience as a lawyer and the Scottish Government legal department’s abilities would be telling.

MacAskill also warned that rapidly increasing rates of cirrhosis of the liver would mean a shortage in donor organs for transplant.

“People say ‘Oh look at George Best, he had two liver transplants, I’ll be fine’ but that’s not the case. The queue [for liver transplants] will be out the door and around the corner,” he said.