Raising off-sales alcohol purchasing age: SNP’s ludicrous plans defeated again

SNP plans to resurrect their ludicrous proposal of raising the purchasing age in off-sales to 21 have been thrown out by the Scottish Parliament's Health Committee.

Mary Scanlon MSP, Scottish Conservative Health spokesperson (who sits on the committee), said:

"Scottish Conservatives were the first party to come out in 2008 and oppose the SNP's ludicrous plan to raise the age for purchasing alcohol in off-sales from 18 to 21. Many others folllowed suit, including the SNP's student wing.

"These plans might have been changed slightly for 2010 but they are still half baked, ill-thought out and unworkable, which is why they were soundly defeated by the opposition parties at Holyrood today. It is crazy to suggest that a 20-year old soldier returning from a tour of duty in Afghanistan could not venture into an off-sales to buy a bottle of wine to celebrate the birth of their child.

"It is also the case that 18 year olds can serve alcohol, hold a premises licence for sale of alcohol and train staff in the service of alcohol, so these SNP measures would have been totally counter-intuitive.

"The SNP were defeated in 2008 and have been defeated again today. It is the latest humiliation for them in the alcohol debate, a debate that has been characterised by the SNP's unwillingness to find common ground. We all agree Scotland has a drink problem, and we need open minds to find the solutions that will actually work."

An amendment to strike the SNP's proposal from the Alcohol Bill passed in the Health & Sport Committee today by 5 votes to 3.

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