Whyte and MacKay: Boss claimed minimum pricing would decimate the own-brand whisky industry. Pic: © STV
A whisky firm boss has been recalled to speak before a parliamentary committee for a second time, after claiming the minimum pricing of alcohol would lead to massive jobs losses in his company.
Whyte and MacKay chief executive John Beard told MSPs on Holyrood's Health Committee that the controversial move would force the company to close a bottling plant in Grangemouth and shed jobs at its main distillery near Inverness. He suggested the move would lead to the loss of around 300 jobs.
IN DETAIL
However, Mr Beard later issued a clarification, saying his statement was based on the potential for UK-wide minimum pricing, rather than on the Scottish Government's own proposals. Now, he has been called to address MSPs for a second time, to explain his stance.
Committee convener Christine Grahame said that at no point in Mr Beard's written submissions or evidence did he "clarify that this estimate was based on a potential UK-wide minimum price, and not on the proposals of the Scottish Government".
Ms Grahame added: "The evidence presented by Whyte and Mackay to the committee to date does not make this clear."
Appearing before the committee last week, Mr beard said he had calculated that a 50p per unit minimum price would decimate the own-brand whisky trade, in which his company is an industry leader.
However, the actually price which would be applied to booze has still not been clarified and previous studies on the issue have used a guide price of 40p per unit. The Government insists such a move would save hundreds of lives, as well as reducing crime and alcohol-related illness.
Wednesday's committee will also hear evidence from the Office of Fair Trading and the Law Society of Scotland, the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland and licensing representatives from Glasgow and Edinburgh councils.
