Minimum pricing will not tackle alcohol abuse in Scotland

This morning the SNP Government published the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill.

Scottish Conservative Health Spokesman Murdo Fraser MSP said:

"Scottish Conservatives have consistently opposed blanket minimum pricing as it is an indiscriminate policy that will do little to attack the causes of alcohol abuse in Scotland. Evidence has shown that problem drinkers are those most resistant to moderate changes in pricing, meaning that this bill would end up penalising only responsible drinkers.

"This is in addition to the hugely questionable legality of the measure, which has already been labelled by the UK Government as 'probably illegal', therefore potentially rendering the Bill utterly meaningless.

"We all want to see a Scotland where alcohol is enjoyed moderately and harmlessly and this should always be our goal. However, the focus must be on tackling abuse and harmful consumption and until we get that balance right we will not tackle the roots of alcohol abuse in Scotland."

The Bill can be found here: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/Bills/43354.aspx

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