The Scottish Government has published details of an updated report by researchers at the University of Sheffield on the impact minimum pricing will have on the country’s alcohol misuse problem.

Together with the existing ban on alcohol promotions the researchers determined a 45p minimum price would reduce weekly consumption by 6%.  Looking at the long-term they also predicted that alcohol related deaths would fall by about 60 in the first year and over 300 by year ten of the policy.

These figures, along with others published within the report will assist Scottish MP’s to confirm the level of the minimum price which will be confirmed in Spring 2012.

The second of four meetings by the Scottish Health Committee is taking place today to further discuss the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill.  Members of the drinks industry both in support and opposition for the bill have been invited to Holyrood to debate minimum pricing and to determine its effectiveness in reducing the harm caused by alcohol.

The effects of alcohol are estimated to cost Scotland £3.5billion a year.

The Health Committee in Scotland met yesterday to discuss stage one of the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill. The Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 1 November 2011. The main purpose is to introduce a minimum price below which alcohol cannot be sold.  The higher the amount of units the drink contains, the stronger it is and therefore the more expensive it will be. At present the proposal is 45p per unit.

Health and economics experts gave evidence both for and against the bill. There will be further meetings on 17, 24 and 31 January 2012 prior to a report being published at the end of February. The Bill will potentially not only affect Scottish drinkers.  The Prime Minister David Cameron has recently requested officials develop a minimum pricing scheme in England similar to that proposed in Scotland.

At the recent NHS conference in Manchester, Alan Higgins, Director of Public Health for Oldham, confirmed that a draft bylaw on minimum pricing for alcohol has been proposed across the Greater Manchester area. At present it has not been accepted by all 10 councils however it is recognised that action needs to be taken to curb the level of alcohol consumption in England. In the last 10 years alcohol consumption has gone up by 10% and alcohol related hospital admissions have risen 107% between 2002-03 and 2009-10.

When the Scottish Parliament reconvenes after the summer it is expected that the newly re-elected SNP will pass a bill which will place a minimum price of 45p per unit of alcohol. The proposal in England is 50p per unit.

Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has pledged that minimum pricing on alcohol will become law in Scotland within a year.  The recently re-elected SNP intend to make tackling Scotland’s alcohol problem a priority when the Scottish Parliament reconvenes after the summer.    The plans would mean an end to supermarket deals on alcohol and would mean a significant increase on the price of alcohol.  The proposal is to set a minimum price of 45p per unit of alcohol. On that basis the average supermarket-brand vodka would increase in price from £8 to £11.80.

The SNP’s previous plans to introduce minimum pricing were rejected by opposition MSP’s who deemed the policy “unworkable”.  Following the SNP’s significant majority in the Scottish Parliament election in May it seems unlikely that there will be the same issue passing the bill in Autumn.

The effects of alcohol are estimated to cost Scotland £3.5billion a year.