A minimum pricing policy on alcohol would save 63 lives in the first year, according to researchers.

The figure comes from academics at the University of Sheffield who have been assessing the possible impact of SNP legislation aimed at tackling excessive drinking.

A report from the university found that a minimum price of 45p per unit of alcohol, coupled with an off-trade discount ban already in place, would save an estimated 327 lives in year ten.

The report estimated that hospital admissions would reduce by about 6600 a year, while the NHS would save £22m annually.

Academics also suggested crime could be cut by 3600 offences a year, including 540 violent crimes, and workplace absence would be cut by 36,500 days annually.

The paper was published on the final day of the Scottish Parliament's scrutiny of the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill. The legislation failed to win support under the previous minority SNP Scottish Government but is expected to be passed this year under the re-elected majority administration.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon told Holyrood's Health and Sport Committee: "There is a clear link between the price of alcohol and consumption levels which is why we always intended to introduce a minimum price alongside the quantity discount ban.

"The support in favour of minimum pricing is now overwhelming and I hope that this time around Scotland's MSPs will do the right thing and back this policy.

"Doctors, nurses, the police, academics and politicians, as well as growing numbers of the general population, have now recognised the harm that alcohol is doing to our communities and the benefit minimum pricing will bring, saving lives and reducing crime."

Groceries

The Health Secretary also said that forcing retailers to set a minimum price could keep grocery bills down by reducing "loss-leading" which sees supermarkets discount alcohol to drive up footfall but then recoup the cost by increasing the price of other goods.

Ms Sturgeon said: "Without being flippant about it, your bananas will cost you more if alcohol has been deep-discounted. So I think minimum pricing has also got that benefit, in that you don't see other goods basically becoming more expensive to subsidise cheap alcohol."

Speaking after the committee meeting she said the Government is still using the 45p unit price rejected in the previous Alcohol Bill as the "illustrative price" but said it will now take into account new evidence.

She also suggested that the Government would provisionally prefer to adjust the price at set intervals rather than link it to the Retail Price Index of inflation.

Ms Sturgeon has conceded that the legislation could be open to legal challenge but said this is no different from any legislation coming out of the Scottish Parliament.

She told the committee: "I am absolutely convinced that our policy here is perfectly capable of complying with European law. I'm actually visiting Brussels next week and hope to have a number of meetings to discuss this policy with various interests in the European Union."

IN DETAIL

• Minister warns minimum pricing 'is probably illegal'