(2) what research his Department has undertaken on the likely effects on the level of alcohol consumption of a minimum unit price for alcohol in the last 10 years;
(3) what recent discussions he has had with the Chief Medical Officer on restrictions on the price of alcohol.
In December 2008, the Department published an independent review on the effects of alcohol pricing and promotion from the School of Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield. This included looking at the effects of minimum unit price on consumption
A copy of the publication “Independent review of the effects of alcohol pricing and promotion from the School of Health and Related Research at the University of Sheffield” has already been placed in the Library.
The Government recently completed a public consultation on the content of a new mandatory code of practice for alcohol retailers. The consultation includes proposals to tackle irresponsible promotions in the on-trade, and in the off-trade it explores the principle of prohibiting retailers from offering alcohol for sale at prices below the rate of duty and VAT paid on the product, a form of loss leader.
In the consultation, the Department also committed to do further work on the impact of alcohol price and promotions and in particular to look into certain key evidence gaps.
All responses will be independently analysed and a report of the consultation and the Government’s response will follow in due course.
The chief medical officer regularly meets Ministers from the Department on a number of policy issues, including alcohol.