Salmond announces minimum pricing plan

First minister Alex Salmond has announced he will bring back proposals to implement a minimum price for alcoholic drinks in Scotland.

The original proposals were defeated in the last parliament, but Salmond is confident of pushing them through now he sits at the head of a majority government.

The legislation, he said, would “tackle the scourge of alcoholism on Scottish society and families”.

It is not yet clear when the proposals will go back before Scottish MP’s, but Wine and Spirit Trade Association chief executive Jeremy Beadles said the government needs to produce evidence that such a move will have the desired impact on reducing levels of harmful drinking in the country.

Beadles also questioned the legality of such a policy.

“There is no evidence to suggest minimum pricing will be effective in tackling alcohol misuse and substantial grounds to believe the policy breaches EU law,” he said.

“The most recent government figures show alcohol consumption per capita fell in Scotland in 2010 and in recent years alcohol-related hospital admissions have declined, suggesting the message about responsible drinking is hitting home.

“It is vital that there is a full and independent review of the consequences of minimum unit pricing, including examination of its impact on cross-border shopping, internet sales of alcohol and any evidence of illegal trade of alcohol in Scotland.”