Scottish parliament to propose 45p per unit, drink minimum price

[oneman]

Ministers propose Scottish minimum drink price of 45p
Nicola Sturgeon says the alcohol pricing policy would help prevent 50 deaths in the first year The Scottish government has announced that it wants alcohol to be sold at a minimum of 45p per unit.

The SNP's minimum price plan, which is contained in its Alcohol Bill, is an attempt to reduce consumption.

If agreed, the change would see a two-litre bottle of Tesco brand cider go from £1.32 to £3.80, while Asda whisky would rise from £9.20 to £12.60.

Opposition parties at Holyrood intend to unite to block the policy as they say it would hit responsible drinkers.

But Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has maintained that costs would only rise for high-strength products sold at rock-bottom prices.

According to the government's figures, there would be no change in the cost of brands like Bell's, Whyte & Mackay or Johnnie Walker, which all currently retail above £14.

MSPs in the Scottish Parliament voted for the principles of the Alcohol (Scotland) Bill in June.


Full story here BBC News - Ministers propose Scottish minimum drink price of 45p

 

[MH]

They would be better doing it as a tax fund to support the NHS, instead of lining the retailers pockets.

 

[oneman]

They would be better doing it as a tax fund to support the NHS, instead of lining the retailers pockets.

This is what I was wondering, would the retailers not be behind this ?

 

[Explosivo]

how long before England follows?

i'll give it five months

 

[daveleebond]

how long before England follows?

i'll give it five months

Manchester has already proposed 50p.

 

[stevie1ball]

Manchester has already proposed 50p.

This won't necessarily line the pockets of the retailer alone but also put money in the government pot which they could put towards the NHS.

Binge drinking is the cause of many a fight hat leads to a person being in need of hospital treatment, costing the NHS money, therefore if people cant afford to binge drink on cheap alcohol then perhaps these incidents will reduce and there will be more money left out of the NHS funds to treat those who need treatment to save there lives.

 

[Evastar]

Very little cheap alcohol over here, and still plenty of binge drinkers

 

[MH]

This won't necessarily line the pockets of the retailer alone but also put money in the government pot which they could put towards the NHS.

Binge drinking is the cause of many a fight hat leads to a person being in need of hospital treatment, costing the NHS money, therefore if people cant afford to binge drink on cheap alcohol then perhaps these incidents will reduce and there will be more money left out of the NHS funds to treat those who need treatment to save there lives.

read the article....

"According to the Scottish government's own study, a minimum price of 45p per unit will deliver over £140m of extra revenue for retailers. But it won't create a single extra penny for more police or the NHS."

 

[jaffa]

Very little cheap alcohol over here, and still plenty of binge drinkers

Is it dear in supermarkets Eva ?, buying a pint in a hotel is extortionate in Dublin nowdays.

But Ireland are proud to be known as drinkers (in a lovelable way)...in my experience anyway.

If theres something in it for the Gov then its simply another stealth tax...can't say I am surprised tbh.

Edit: just seen MH post...no money for governments....they will find a way to get something from it...lol

 

[Evastar]

Is it dear in supermarkets Eva ?, buying a pint in a hotel is extortionate in Dublin nowdays.

But Ireland are proud to be known as drinkers (in a lovelable way)...in my experience anyway.

If theres something in it for the Gov then its simply another stealth tax...can't say I am surprised tbh.

It depends, you can pay over two euro for a 500 ml can in the supermarket if its guinness, budweiser, bulmers etc, i paid 2.59 for a can of kopparberg berry cider last week. Sometimes you'll get special offers on the brand name beers, cheapest beer you will get are cans of lager in lidl think its 3.60 or something like that for four cans. I got six bottles of corona today for 6.99 on special offer, which is good value here, you'll pay anything up to 14 euro sometimes.

A bottle of smirnoff vokda or bacardi 750 ml is around 24 euro i think, you can get a cheaper brand for around 13 euro i think.

 

[jaffa]

It depends, you can pay over two euro for a 500 ml can in the supermarket if its guinness, budweiser, bulmers etc, i paid 2.59 for a can of kopparberg berry cider last week. Sometimes you'll get special offers on the brand name beers, cheapest beer you will get are cans of lager in lidl think its 3.60 or something like that for four cans. I got six bottles of corona today for 6.99 on special offer, which is good value here, you'll pay anything up to 14 euro sometimes.

A bottle of smirnoff vokda or bacardi 750 ml is around 24 euro i think, you can get a cheaper brand for around 13 euro i think.

Tesco had 24 Corona for £10 last week up here and Jim Beam black label for £10, you should have come up and stocked up...lol

 

[swanny10]

it wont make a blind bit of difference!!! the binge drinkers will still find the extra money to do it and those of us that like a drink at the weekend in moderation are the only ones that will suffer. Its a total disgrace this is even being spoken about at government level surely the key is in education not forcing the majority to pay more because of the few!!!!

 

[Evastar]

Tesco had 24 Corona for £10 last week up here and Jim Beam black label for £10, you should have come up and stocked up...lol

nah no point in that, cos it would get drunk on me

 

[RAB - P]

total waste of time. Neds will still get money for booze by either mugging or robbing folks cars or houses. and with less Polis on the street to catch them things will be worse than ever. an extra few quid on strong cider and extra strong lager might even turn more to drugs. and if England is selling cheaper booze will it not encourage more rouges to do booze runs and sell it whoever wants to buy it.

if they have to put a price on booze then do it right with tax and give the extra cash to the polis to catch the feckers selling the stuff to underage drinkers and neds out there that get pissed on street corners. and also fine the feckers who wake up in hospital after getting out their tits on booze. with all the proceeds going back into the nhs.

underage drinking £50
out your face drunk £50
ambulance called out £50
taking up a hospital bed £50
any abuse to staff £50

then maybe some of the parents will take more of a interest in what there sprogs are doing.

 

[TheCheekyMonkey]

total bollox the whole lot, its the society we live in putting the cost of drinks up wont solve any of the problems associated with it.

stealth tax all the way.

 

[MH]

total waste of time. Neds will still get money for booze by either mugging or robbing folks cars or houses. and with less Polis on the street to catch them things will be worse than ever. an extra few quid on strong cider and extra strong lager might even turn more to drugs. and if England is selling cheaper booze will it not encourage more rouges to do booze runs and sell it whoever wants to buy it.

if they have to put a price on booze then do it right with tax and give the extra cash to the polis to catch the feckers selling the stuff to underage drinkers and neds out there that get pissed on street corners. and also fine the feckers who wake up in hospital after getting out their tits on booze. with all the proceeds going back into the nhs.

underage drinking £50
out your face drunk £50
ambulance called out £50
taking up a hospital bed £50
any abuse to staff £50

then maybe some of the parents will take more of a interest in what there sprogs are doing.

Cant get better than that

 

[buzzer]

makes no fookin sense to me.
if you admit your an jakie in scotland , you get extra money in your benefits to help with your "illness"
now they want to put the price on drink up??
wonder if they will put the giro's up to compensate for all the jakies????

better still, why not start dispensing super lager in chemists...
that way they can pick up a FREE can , while they are in getting they're FREE meths and FREE needles.....

 

[thebigyin]

its not the drinks.that needs to go up by 45p give 45p per drink bought to the nhs,,police,emergency services..instead of the government to fund other countries and trying to get respect in places that have nothing to do with them.before long the UK will rely on over seas for aid then you will no what will happen we will be in poverty as no one will help us..

 

[oneman]

I was just reading that binge drinking costs UK industry more then 20 billion in lost productivity. I have seen it at my work were people have called in sick and then post on facebook that they were on the lash the previous night.

 

[P33 RRV]

do you know when i seen this on the news last night i was a tad angry, i dont drink much these days and if people wanna then thats there business.

BUT

when i see a bottle of lambrini in the catagory that they want to impose this minimum price had to touch a nerve....i mean come on...lambrini