How you can help

Minimum pricing for alcohol is one of a wide range of measures proposed in a new Scottish strategy to tackle harmful drinking.

Legislation introducing minimum pricing for alcohol was published on 25th November 2009 - see http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/bills/34-AlcoholEtc/index.htm .

On the day of the Alcohol Bill’s publication, the Scottish Labour Party announced that they would not support the introduction of minimum pricing for alcohol. As the Scottish Liberal Democrats had already indicated that they were against it, the prospects of getting a minimum price for alcohol set in Scotland appear slim. The measure requires the support of a majority of MSPs to come into force. However, the Alcohol Bill is to continue its progress through Parliament, starting with the Health Committee’s scrutiny of the legislation. It therefore remains vital that individuals and health professionals who support minimum pricing as an effective measure to reduce alcohol-related harm in Scotland make their views known to their local political representatives.  

Legislative timetable (approximate timings, subject to change)

November 2009                    Publication of Alcohol Bill

Jan 2010 onwards               Scrutiny of the Bill by the Health Committee

                                                 The Health Committee will take written evidence until 20th Jan and oral evidence in

                                                 Feb/March.

May                                          Health Committee publishes report

                                                 Stage 1 debate in Parliament - Parliament accepts or rejects the general principles of

                                                 the Bill.

May/June onwards               If general principles accepted, Health Committee examines the Bill line by line

                                                 Amendments to Bill can be tabled

Action for individuals:

• Write to your local MSP about Scotland’s alcohol problem, explaining how you think a minimum price can help. To find your local representatives go to http://www.writetothem.com/ and type in your postcode. You can then email them directly with your concerns. Alternatively, you can get the postal address of your MSP by typing in your postcode on the Scottish Parliament website. See suggested points for letter-writing.

• Write to your local paper about how alcohol affects your area and how a minimum price can help reduce health and social harm by reducing consumption of cheap alcohol. 

• Raise awareness through any groups or organisations you are a member of eg. voluntary groups, unions. 

• Talk to your friends, family and work colleagues to raise awareness. 

• Share your personal story of how alcohol misuse has affected your life either personally or professionally.

Action for health professionals: 

• Host a visit of your local MSP to enable them to see directly how harmful alcohol use can impact on individuals and NHS services. 

• Talk to your local media about how the increase in alcohol-related harm in Scotland is putting pressure on health services and how a minimum price for alcohol can reduce health and social harm by reducing consumption of cheap alcohol. 

• Submit written evidence to the Health Committee or request to submit oral evidence.