The Scottish Government has revealed the proposed minimum price for alcohol would be set at 45p per unit.

The Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee had recommended in its Stage 1 report that the government amends the Bill at Stage 2 to specify its preferred price.

By setting the price at 45p per unit, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said that the benefits in the first year would include 50 fewer deaths from alcohol-related harm, 1,200 fewer hospital admissions, 22,900 fewer days absence from work and a £5.5m reduction in health care costs.

"I believe it's crucial that we reintroduce realistic alcohol pricing. It cannot be right that a man can exceed his weekly recommended alcohol limit for less than 3.50 pounds. That's why we're taking decisive action, including proposals to introduce a minimum price per unit, which would bring these pocket money prices to an end,” said Sturgeon.

"Getting the price right is vital for minimum pricing to work - too low and it will simply be ineffective. After careful consideration, we believe that 45p per unit is the right price.”

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Harry Burns, said an important element of the policy is the pace at which we would see the benefits of the policy.

“I agree with the Cabinet Secretary that this is something we should try because we will see the results quickly. Why wouldn’t we do it? It makes a lot of sense to do it.”

The medical profession is united around this in a way that is reminiscent of the tobacco legislation, he said, but added that we need to do this quickly if we are going to save lives.

“The longer we delay means that people will be dying who would otherwise reign back their drinking and give themselves the opportunity to recover.

“I am here to reflect the view of the broad medical profession that increasing the price in this way is the quickest and most effective way to change the harm that is being done to our health as a result of excess alcohol consumption.”

Scotland has a “responsibility” to act on this issue, Sturgeon said, adding, “We have a parliament with powers to act and I believe that we should.”

She also reiterated the government’s pledge to introduce a ‘sunset clause’ into the Alcohol Bill, which she said would allow policy to be tried and for the government and opposition parties to find out who is right and who is wrong about minimum pricing.

“If the government is right then we can continue with the policy, and if the opposition is right parliament can choose to discontinue the policy. That was and it remains a genuine and a very serious attempt to find a consensus and a way forward on an issue that we all accept needs to be tackled.”

Scotland has a “golden opportunity” to be bold and to face up to a big problem that is costing Scotland dearly, she said.

“So even at this late hour in the progress of this issue I appeal to the opposition to work with me in finding that way forward.

“If we fail to pass this policy or if we pass something that we know has no effect I think we will be letting Scotland down.”

However, Labour’s Jackie Baillie remained unmoved by the Sturgeon’s appeal, describing the minimum pricing policy as “a tax on the poor paid directly to the shareholders of the big supermarkets”.

A minimum price of 45p per unit would put over £140m into the pockets of supermarkets without creating extra revenue for more police or the NHS, she said.

“The SNP have got this one badly wrong. A minimum price of 45p per unit will make no difference to the cost of problem drinks, like Buckfast, but it will punish pensioners and people on low incomes.

She also said that the health lobby will be “privately disappointed” as they had been looking for a higher figure of at least 50p per unit, adding:

“The SNP delayed this announcement for months and now it is finally here it will please nobody.”

However, Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of the BMA in Scotland, welcomed the Health Secretary’s announcement and urged the opposition to back the Bill.  

He said: “Unlike suggested alternatives coming forward from Labour and the Conservatives, minimum pricing will have an immediate effect in tackling alcohol misuse in Scotland.”

The trend for cheap alcohol and excessive consumption has a human cost, he said, pointing out that alcohol related illness causes one death every three hours in Scotland. Additionally, he said the increasing healthcare costs could “cripple” the NHS financially.

He continued: “A minimum price, as part of a wider strategy, could help to end this culture and with the introduction of a social responsibility levy, the income generated could be used to improve services tackling alcohol-related harm in communities across Scotland

“…The eyes of the world are on the Scottish parliament.  I urge MSPs not to let us down and to support minimum pricing because it is the right thing to do.”

However, WSTA spokesman Gavin Partington said that setting the price at 45p doesn’t alter the fact the minimum pricing is “wrong in principle.”

He continued: “It won’t tackle alcohol misuse but will punish families on low incomes and pensioners.

“…It’s time the Scottish Government stopped pursuing an approach already rejected by Parliament and started working with other politicians and stakeholders on a range of policies to address the root causes of alcohol misuse.”

A full copy of the committee’s Stage 1 report is available here:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/hs/reports-10/her10-05vol1.htm