Scotland becomes first European nation to set minimum alcohol unit price

© HEMEDIA / SWNS Group

Scotland has become the first place in the European Union to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol.

MSPs voted by 86 to one in favour of the Alcohol Minimum Pricing Bill, which will force retailers to charge a minimum of 50p per unit.

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the measure was a "landmark moment in Scotland's fight against alcohol misuse".

She said: "I am delighted that Parliament has passed the Bill and minimum pricing will now become law.

"This policy will save lives, it's as simple as that. It is time to turn the tide of alcohol misuse that for too long has been crippling our country.

Labour's MSPs abstained after the party failed in a last-ditch attempt to claw back extra profits made by supermarkets.

Public health spokesman Dr Richard Simpson said: "The SNP has voted to stuff the pockets of supermarket shareholders with gold, instead of ploughing the £125m windfall back into our police and health service that are left to deal with the effects of alcohol misuse."

Only Roseanna Cunningham, Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs, voted against the Bill. She later said on Twitter that she had "accidentally voted the wrong way".

Minimum pricing could now come into effect as early as next April.

The minimum price means a a 70cl bottle of 37.5% vodka will cost at least £13.13, a four-pack of lager will be a minimum of £3.52 and a bottle of 12.5% wine will sell for no less than £4.69.

Research by the University of Sheffield has indicated that setting the minimum price at 50p would lead to 60 fewer deaths, 1,600 fewer hospital admissions and 3,500 fewer crimes in its first year. . A previous attempt to introduce minimum pricing was voted down during the last Parliament, when the SNP ran a minority administration.

The Tories and Liberal Democrats have since changed their policy to back the plan, leaving only Labour opposed.

The UK Government has suggested setting a minimum price of 40p per unit for England and Wales, and talks are taking place about introducing a minimum price for Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Gavin Hewitt, chief executive of the Scotch Whisky Association, branded the policy "misguided" and said minimum pricing had "consistently been found to be illegal in Europe".

He said: "We expect legal challenges to emerge once the Scottish Government notifies its proposals to the EC. We hope the UK Government will take due note and drop its own proposals for minimum pricing of alcohol."

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