News and Press

UK Health Committee calls for minimum pricing

8 Jan 2010

In a report published today, the UK Health Committee has criticised the UK Government for being too close to the drinks industry, and for failing to take tough measures needed to tackle shocking alcohol misuse.

The Committee calls for the introduction of minimum pricing, a rise in the duty on spirits and industrial white cider, tighter and totally independent regulation of alcohol promotion, vastly improved alcohol treatment services, better early detection and intervention, a mandatory labelling scheme for alcoholic drinks, and much better use of expert advice.

The report flatly rejects as a myth the suggestion that minimum pricing would unfairly affect moderate drinkers: at 40p per unit it would cost a moderate drinker (6 units per week) 11p per week more than at present, and a woman drinking the maximum 15 units per week could buy her weekly total of alcohol for six pounds.

Read full report: Health Committee Report - Alcohol [PDF, 778KB]