Greene King boss backs minimum pricing

Plans to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol in Scotland have received a boost from the boss of one of the UK’s biggest breweries.

Rooney Anand, chief executive of Greene King, said the plans would “go to the very heart” of Scotland’s problems with alcohol abuse.

Minimum pricing proposals from the Scottish National Party, which holds a majority in the Scottish Parliament, are widely expected to be passed in the next couple of months – despite recent evidence showing that the number of deaths linked to alcohol is falling.

Anand said: “We have consistently argued that the solution must be proportionate to the problem and should not penalise the majority of responsible drinkers.

“That is why we believe a minimum price for alcohol would go to the very heart of the problem.”

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said support in favour of minimum pricing was “overwhelming”, particularly among health professionals.

However, she also said the government would revisit the recommended minimum unit price of 45 pence which was discussed for the first attempt at legislation, but fell through as the SNP did not hold the majority in Parliament which they now have.

Sturgeon told the Politics Show: “We need to make sure we’re taking account of all of the available evidence and that evidence is up-to-date.

“For example, one of the things we’ll do before getting to that point of decision is rerun the Sheffield University model, because that would give us the most up-to-date evidence on which we could then base that decision.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie added: “Having support from the business community will help ensure the new laws are implemented effectively.”

However, there are still questions remaining over the legality of any move to introduce minimum pricing.

UK public health minister Anne Milton told a committee last week that minimum pricing legislation was likely to conflict with European free trade legislation.

She said: “I know Scotland is thinking about introducing it, and they will be challenged, and that will clarify the law. But our advice is that it is illegal.”

A spokesman for the Scotch Whisky Association said: “Alcohol-related deaths in Scotland in 2010 show a fall of 15% since the peak in 2006 and were at the second lowest level in the last decade.

“It is disappointing the Scottish government continues to ignore the improving trend of less hospital admissions and less alcohol-related deaths.”