Alcohol Policy UK

Alcohol consumption in adolescence and early adult life: What are the consequences? CLOSER event presentations

This month an event took place exploring 'Alcohol consumption in adolescence and early adult life: What are the consequences?'. It was organised by the Cohorts and Longitudinal Studies Enhancement Resources (CLOSER), a consortium of the UK’s leading birth cohort and longitudinal studies.

'High alcohol consumption – especially among young people – continues to be a major social and public health concern in the UK. As drinking can often lead to long-term health problems, some of which only emerge after several years, this conference focused on the unique perspective provided by longitudinal evidence. It looked at the trajectories of alcohol consumption, and the health and social consequences of high levels of consumption during the transition to adulthood.

The symposium opened up the dialogue between longitudinal researchers, policy makers and third sector organisations who are leading thinking in this area. By including speakers from both research and policy, it aimed to share the latest evidence on alcohol consumption among young people, review current and future policy priorities in this area, and to identify gaps in the evidence base.'

Presentations

• Professor Jennifer Maggs, Pennsylvania State University (keynote)
  Life-course consequences of adolescent and early adult drinking: Challenges and open questions (PDF)

• Professor Jane Elliott, Director of CLOSER
  Introduction to the symposium (PDF)

• Dr Jeremy Staff, Pennsylvania State University
  Consequences and correlates of alcohol use at 16 and beyond: empirical findings from the British Cohort Studies (PDF)

• Dr Ann Hoskins, Public Health England
  Alcohol, children and young people: Opportunities in the new public health system in England (PDF)

• Neil Dube, Department for Education
  Policy making and its relationship with evidence and research (PDF)

• Dr Carly Lightowlers, Liverpool John Moores University
  Drinking patterns and violent behaviour amongst young people in England and Wales (PDF)

• Dr Gareth Hagger-Johnson and Dr Nicola Shelton, UCL
Drinking and non-drinking in young people: Evidence from British Cohort studies (PDF)

Alcohol Research UK 2013 annual conference FEAD videos

Alcohol Research UK's 2013 conference took place on 12 March 2013, exploring alcohol and British society. Now videos of the conference have been made available via the the Film Exchange on Drugs & Alcohol (FEAD), and the presentations are also available.

The conference theme explored the role of alcohol in contemporary British society as key to targeting the harms it can cause addressing issues such as:

• Why alcohol harms are unevenly spread across different social groups
• How policy interventions impact on different communities
• Methods for the identification and prevention of harmful...

Presentations included:

1.

Robin Davidson on Alcohol Research UK

2.

Sir Ian Gilmore and Mark Bellis on health and inequalities

3.

Jonathan Chick and Dr Jan Gill on cheap alcohol and British society

4.

Paul Wallace and Stuart Linke on ten year experience with Down Your Drink (DYD)

5.

David Foxcroft on early development and adverse outcomes and different prevention approaches

6.	Keith Humphreys and Ilora Finlay, Baroness Finlay of Llandaff on science and developing alcohol policy in Britain

Events May - June 2013: FASD; history and future of drug and alcohol regulation & more

A number of upcoming events coming up shortly may be of interest:

Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): Evidence, Policy and Practice

This week Middlesex University host a free evening seminar: Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): Evidence, Policy and Practice taking place on Thursday 16 May, 5pm- 7:30pm in North London. Guest speakers to this event include Professor Moira Plant, Professor in Alcohol Studies, University of the West of England, Bristol. See the flyer here.

Under Control? Alcohol and Drug Regulation, Past and Present

Coming up in June, 'Under Control?: Alcohol and Drug Regulation, Past and Present' is a three-day international conference exploring all aspects of alcohol and drug control costing only £150 or £75 concessionary rate for the full 3 days.

The conference will take place at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine from June 21st-23rd.  Keynote speakers include Professor Virginia Berridge (LSHTM); Professor Paul Gootenberg (Stony Brook University) and Professor James Simpson (Carlos III University, Madrid). There are over 30 confirmed panels, including papers on contemporary alcohol policy; temperance history; the social control of drinking in pubs and the home; alcohol and citizenship; intoxicated identities; and the international alcohol trade. There will also be a number of fringe events -see here for more.

Other events

This week also sees the RCGPs 18th national conference on managing drug & alcohol problems in primary care. It takes place in Birmingham on the 16 and 17 of May: full conference is £318 with day rates available.

Later this month, a Westminster Forum Projects event explores The Future of Alcohol Policy at a cost of £190+VAT (concessionary rates available). Next month Public Policy Exchange host an event 'Calling Time on Binge Drinking and Alcohol-Fuelled Violence: The Changing Role of Local Authorities' places currently priced from £156- £315.

No announcement on England's minimum pricing decision as Scotland gets legal go ahead

Rumours that the Queen's speech would confirm whether Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) had been scrapped were proven false this week. However when later asked in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister David Cameron promised to deliver a 'package of measures' to deal with cheap alcohol:

"On minimum pricing for alcohol, it is important that we take action to deal with deeply discounted alcohol, with cans of lager sometimes selling for as little as 25p in supermarkets. We will be bringing forward a package of measures, and it is important that we get this right."

Recently Home Office minister Jeremy Brown had said the Government was yet to confirm its decision on MUP and were listening to "powerfull arguments on both sides" following the consultation.

The Government has yet to publish its response to consultation, but it has been widely touted that a decision to u-turn on MUP has been made as a result of Cabinet pressure. A Guardian article by the IAS's Katherine Brown suggests "Intense lobbying from alcohol producers would appear to have killed-off this ground-breaking policy". Opponents largely argue MUP as a measure unfair to responsible drinkers, summarised on the WTSA sponsored anti-MUP site.

However advocates of MUP saw a victory as a legal challenge to Scotland's MUP plans was recently dismissed. The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) had spearheaded a campaign claiming that MUP was in breach of EU competition law. A number options to appeal the decision are expected to be pursued by the SWA, suggesting Scotland's 50 pence MUP plans are still some way off.

As for England, should the Government's committment to introducing MUP be replaced by other measures to 'tackle cheap alcohol', health groups are unlikely to be convinced that they will replace the need for MUP. Increased taxation, an approach called for by the IFS, certainly has some recognition amongst health groups, but a number of issues are highlighted.

In particular, taxation rises can be absorbed by producers or retailers, for instance through 'loss-leading'. It is claimed some tax increases would have to be dramatic to achieve the same impact of a 45 pence MUP. Indeed the alcohol duty escalator has  been delivering alcohol tax rises already, but the beer trade successfully argued that hikes in beer tax were having a negative impact on the hospitality sector, halting the beer duty rise in this year's budget.

Dr Petra Meier, who conducted the University of Sheffield modelling on pricing impacts has previously said both taxes and minimum pricing should be used, so it should not be an 'either or' argument. Initially the Coalition had committed to a "below cost ban", however difficulty over definitions of 'cost' and implementation challenges seemed to leave few convinced, including the Home Office. No further word on plans set out in the Strategy to ban the sale of multi-buy discount deals.

Drinkaware independent review raises questions for industry funded alcohol charity

The industry funded alcohol education charity Drinkaware has released an independent review of its activities, with mixed findings over its effectiveness to date. Download the report here [pdf] or appendices.

The review was carried out by consultancy firm 23Red which in the executive summary identifies its main findings as:

2.1 This is a mixed report. The reviewers found that much has improved since the last review of the Drinkaware Trust, notably the funding position. On the other hand, while some things are now well done, others are poorly done or are lacking entirely. No stakeholder group is entirely happy with the current status quo.

2.2 In consequence, while recognising that there are inevitable tensions facing an organisation with the remit and funding base of Drinkaware, this report calls for substantial changes to the way in which Drinkaware operates. These changes affect the way the Trust is funded, its governance model and the way it carries out its core activities.

The report identified successes including achieving "near-ubiquity for the Drinkaware.co.uk URL", improved stakeholder engagement, improved approaches to campaigns and some success against some KPIs, particularly relating to 11-17 year olds. However the report states that:

"...all groups of stakeholders are dissatisfied with the status quo to some degree. Their dissatisfaction focuses on three key areas:

• The lack of an evidence base, both to inform what Drinkaware does and to evaluate how it does it
• A perception of industry influence resulting in a suspicion that Drinkaware is not truly independent of the alcohol industry
• Weak stakeholder engagement, resulting in Drinkaware’s isolation within the alcohol harm reduction community"

Also of concern are findings from a currently unpublished study by London Southbank University and Kings College London (Moss, Dyer et al) which found that exposure to Drinkaware posters actually appeared to increase alcohol consumption. Drinkaware Posters from the 'Why let the good times go bad' posters were used in a simulated bar environments and lab settings, where drinkers consumed more when posters were displayed.

In 2009 Professor Iain Gilmore warned of "very little evidence that health messages work to prevent binge or harmful drinking" when the campaign was announced. Then Alcohol Concern Chief Exec Don Shenker also wrote of a "real concern that the very message ‘Why let the good times go bad’ will actually reinforce the notion that you need alcohol to have a good time" in a DDN article cynical of tactics behind industry funded activity.

Drinakware have however since been engaging with the authors of the study to explore the implications and have reportedly ended the ‘Why let the good times go bad’ campaign. The findings however raise questions for all drug and alcohol related information campaigns and evaluation methods. Other studies such as a US anti-drug media campaign have previously suggested the potential for counterintuitve responses.

Looking forward, Drinkaware has certainly not yet convinced the public health community at large of its role or ability to delivery activity that genuinely addresses alcohol misuse. However its publication of an arguably critical independent report may go some distance to improving its future standing. With a new Chief Executive at the helm since earlier this year, Drinkaware certainly faces some real challenges.

Findings bulletins & hot topics: peer influence; commissioning; motivational interviewing; mental health & normative approaches

Recent bulletins from the drug and alcohol bank:

TEENAGE PEER INFLUENCE ON DRINKING IS NO ILLUSION

Is the peer influence on which many prevention programmes are based an illusion due to other factors like pupils sharing similar environments or choosing like-minded friends? Not entirely, finds this unusually rigorous US analysis; the chances of a given child drinking rise by 4% for every 10% more of their school year-mates who drink.

WHAT ABOUT EVIDENCE-BASED COMMISSIONING?

Though central to implementing policy and embedding evidence in practice, the process of ensuring that the pattern of services in an area coherently and efficiently meets local needs is itself relatively unevidenced. Such reports as we have from the UK often graphically portray the shortfalls, though there is evidence that things can be done which work.

MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING - THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE OF SUBSTANCE USE COUNSELLING

Popular and with a strong theoretical and evidence base, the great advantage of motivational interviewing is its applicability across the board from risky but as yet non-problematic substance users to established addicts, yet the research yields some surprises and some negatives. 

COPING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS

With as many as three quarters of their clients suffering from mental health problems, deciding how to respond is a major and long-standing concern for British drug and alcohol services. Should they or psychiatric services take the lead in caring for the patient, how can they coordinate care with mental health services, should dependence be treated first, or should treatment run in parallel?

EVERYONE’S *NOT* DOING IT MESSAGE OFFERS HOPE FOR PREVENTIVE EDUCATION

Science is littered with shining discoveries which became somewhat tarnished as accumulating data forced a reappraisal. In substance misuse, normative education (contrasting how common pupils think substance use is with the reality) retains some of its shine, but what seemed the great hope for school- and college-based prevention now seems a tactic of limited application and with inconsistent impacts - and, some believe, one way the drinks industry avoids truly effective restrictions.

Public Health England publishes 2013/14 priorities - much space for alcohol?

Public Health England (PHE), the new national body set up to lead on the promotion of health and wellbeing, has published its 2013/14 priorities.

PHE now includes national remit for drug and alcohol policy having now integrated the former National Treatment Agency and alcohol policy team. However local Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) and Directors of Public Health (DPH) are able to set the local prioritisation of public health budgets.

PHE's priorities for 2013/14 do not explicitly focus on alcohol misuse, but the document does state "the most significant factors that lead to poor health [are]: smoking; high blood pressure; obesity; poor diet; lack of exercise; and excessive alcohol consumption."

PHE has 5 key priorities including a first priority of reducing preventable deaths and ill health through addressing key factors including alcohol misuse:

1. Helping people to live longer and more healthy lives by reducing preventable deaths and the burden of ill health associated with smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, poor diet, poor mental health, insufficient exercise, and alcohol
2. Reducing the burden of disease and disability in life by focusing on preventing and recovering from the conditions with the greatest impact, including dementia, anxiety, depression and drug dependency
3. Protecting the country from infectious diseases and environmental hazards, including the growing problem of infections that resist treatment with antibiotics
4. Supporting families to give children and young people the best start in life, through working with health visiting and school nursing, family nurse partnerships and the Troubled Families programme
5. Improving health in the workplace by encouraging employers to support their staff, and those moving into and out of the workforce, to lead healthier lives

Indeed alcohol misuse can be seen as significant to priorities 2, 4 and 5 given alcohol's cross-cutting impact on disease, disability, problems within families and workplace health. Additionally priority 1 includes the roll out of the NHS Health Checks programme, which now includes alcohol IBA as part of the lifestyle intervention to be offered to up to 15 million 40-74 year olds over coming years. But with a Government strategy with little attention to treatment and prevention, should it say more on alcohol?

Briefing warns of sharp rise in admissions of older people with alcohol-related mental health problems

An Alcohol Concern briefing has warned of a 150% rise in hospital admissions for over 60’s with alcohol related mental health problems in the last decade. The briefing 'Trends in alcohol related admissions for older people with mental health problems: 2002 to 2012' finds a disproportionate rise amongst older adults, despite an overall rise in all adults and accounting for a growing older population. 

The analysis looks at hospital data for those admitted to hospitals in England with mental and behavioural disorders associated with alcohol use. Dr Tony Rao, an alcohol and older people mental health specialist and author of the report, warned that “increasing numbers of older people are living with alcohol related dementia, anxiety and depression – and it’s their loved ones, carers and the rest of society who are left picking up the pieces."

The report also found a 140% increase over the last decade in the number of over 60’s being admitted to hospital with Wernicke Korsakoff syndrome – a form of brain damage caused by alcohol use.

Recently an Alcohol Insight found a significant and growing number of older people are at risk of alcohol-related harm, and that alcohol problems are less likely to be detected in older people. Barriers to identification included complex physical and social problems, including a lack of awareness amongst professionals in recognising alcohol misuse, or barriers for older people to access help.

A 2012 report from the Royal College of Psychiatrists advised over 65's should not drink more than 1.5 units of alcohol a day, and separate recommended guidelines should be considered.

See here for an Alcohol Concern Wales briefing paper and presentations from an alcohol and older people event. See here for a RCP leaflet outlining the key alcohol issues and risks for older people.

See here for the latest annual statistics on alcohol for England 2012.

What's the future for the Late Night Levy & EMRO?

Since October 2012, Local Authorities have had the power to introduce a Late Night Levy (LNL) on premises opening after midnight under the PRSA 2011. The Levy is intended as a means of raising a contribution towards police and council accrued costs of the late-night economy.

However likely use of the Levy looks uncertain. Similarly no areas appear to have yet committed to use of Early Morning Restriction Orders (EMROs) to restrict the sale of alcohol between midnight and 6am.

According to a report in the Morning Advertiser, just 1% of councils say they plan to introduce either a LNL or EMRO, with over three quarters reportedly ruling them outaccording to a survey of 363 councils. A number of Local Authorities are however consulting on the use of the powers, such as Newcastle City Council and Milton Keynes. Blackpool and Hartlepool are understood to be considering EMROs.

A number of reasons for reluctance over the use of the powers seem apparent, ranging from insufficient expected revenue from the LNL, to legal concerns over being the first to implement new legislation. The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) have reportedly set up a 'fighting fund' to cover the cost of legal challenges against EMROs or the levy. In a BBC radio discussion, Brigid Simmonds of the BBPA argued that pubs would suffer if the on trade are further targeted, pointing out 70% of alcohol is now sold off-trade.

Cllr Brad Smith, Chairman of Bexley Council's Licensing Committee said "There are not a significant number of licensed premises which would be affected [in Bexley]... as little as only £1,000 per year would be raised". He emphasised the council had a strong process of using robust licence reviews on individual premises causing problems. In Great Yarmouth an EMRO was reportedly avoided when premises agreed to earlier voluntary closure of 4am from 6am.

History repeats?

In 2008 powers came in under the 2006 Violent Crime Reduction Act allowing Local Authorities to implement 'Alcohol Disorder Zones' (ADZs). ADZs were introduced to allow local authorities to impose charges on licensed premises to pay for the costs of addressing alcohol-related problems, but warnings proved true and none were ever implemented, though other powers within the 2006 act were more widely utilized. Will the LNL and EMRO be the new ADZ , or with the integration of public health within Local Authorities, is a "re-balancing" of the licensing act underway?

See www.gov.uk/alcohol-licensing or www.alcoholpolicy.net/licensing/ for licensing guidance and information.

Steve.morton@blackpool.gov.uk

Latest Findings alcohol bulletins: Public Health framework reviewed; alcohol counsellor skills; text advice can work & more

Recent bulletins from the drug and alcohol bank:

Public health objectives for England including drugs and alcohol

Sets out the structure and objectives of the public health system for England effective from April 2013 and how progress against these objectives will be measured, including addiction treatment completions, alcohol-related hospital admissions, and prisoners identified as needing treatment for alcohol/drug problems.

Seminal studies of the impact of alcohol counsellor skills and support

In the alcohol treatment world, arguably studies don’t get more important than these landmarks in the relatively scarce literature about what makes some alcohol counsellors, therapists and treatment services more effective than others

'Treatment-resistant' skid-row alcoholics react to organised empathy

Later to become founding director of the US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, in the late 1950s Dr Morris Chafetz of Massachusetts General Hospital conducted a remarkable series of studies which proved that an alcohol clinic's intake and performance can be transformed by the simple application of empathy and organisation.

Post-emergency visit text message advice moderates drinking

For the first time this US study tried mobile phone text messaging as a way to monitor and moderate the hazardous drinking of young adults screened at emergency departments. Compared to merely monitoring, text-based advice did cut drinking – but why did monitoring-only patients actually start to drink more?

Nurse-led hepatitis education cost-effective way to curb drinking in methadone patients

At Californian methadone clinics, group education sessions led by a nurse and focused on the risks of aggravating hepatitis infection led to the same substantial reductions in drinking as one-to-one or group motivational interviewing conducted by highly trained counsellors, offering a cost-effective means to reduce alcohol-related risks.

Alcohol Research UK 2013 annual conference: health inequalities, prevention in schools and online approaches reviewed

The Alcohol Research UK annual conference recently took place at the Wellcome Conference Centre in London on 12th March, exploring Alcohol and British Society. Some of the key talks and presentations are available and highlighted below.

Professor Mark Bellis: Health and Inequalities

Professor Bellis from Liverpool John Moores University, examined some of the possible reasons behind the “alcohol harm paradox” - how the poorest 20% of people in Britain suffered twice the levels of alcohol related harm as the most affluent 20% – despite reporting similar levels of alcohol consumption.

Professor Bellis said, “There are a number of possible explanations... These include differences in drinking patterns, hidden alcohol consumption and a cumulative health impact from poor diet, housing and other health challenges that leave people more vulnerable to the damages alcohol causes.”

Dr David Foxcroft: Developmental Epidemiology and Prevention

Dr David Foxcroft discuss some of the latest research into alcohol education and prevention in schools, in particular the impact of programmes such as the Good Behaviour Game and the Strengthening Families programme.

Developmental Epidemiology and Prevention (PPT) David Foxcroft

Professor Jonathan Chick and Dr Jan Gill – A Tale of Two Cities

Professor Jonathan Chick and Dr Jan Gill discuss findings from their ongoing research into drinking behaviours in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Their research supports the evidence that those drinking at the most harmful levels purchase the cheapest alcohol – particularly white cider and cheap vodka.

A Tale of Two Cities (PPT) Jonathan Chick and Jan Gill

Paul Wallace and Stuart Linke: Ten Years Experience with Down Your Drink (DYD)

Professor Paul Wallace and Stuart Linke give an overview of the Down Your Drink online screening and brief advice website. The presentation describes how the intervention has been amended over time, and presents feedback from a number of people who have used the site.

Digital Approaches to Alcohol Problems: Ten Years Experience with Down Your Drink (PPT) Paul Wallace and Stuart Linke

FEAD (the Film Exchange on Alcohol and Drugs) will shortly be putting up videos from the day.

An Alcohol Research UK symposium on alcohol policy will be taking place at the forthcoming New Directions in the Study of Alcohol Group conference ‘Alcohol Spills Over' on 25th to 28th April 2013.

Licensing information pack: toolkit supports data collection and decision making

The shadow London Health Improvement Board (LHIB) has co-ordinated the development of a Licensing Information Pack to support local licensing activity.

Download Licensing Information Pack: resources to inform local action on alcohol misuse (pdf)

Section One covers 'Information, Guidance & Tools', which outlines a range of local and national data sources; the organisations that collect them; and how to access the data.

Section Two presents four London case studies giving real-life examples of how the evidence base has been used to inform local area decision-making and licensing policy.

The development of the Information Pack followed feedback from delegates at the recent London Licensing Network Events. Delegates, who included licensing officers, trading standards officers, and the police, highlighted that issues around inter-agency information-sharing impeded the development of strategies to combat the negative impact of alcohol.

The Local Government Association (LGA) recently published guidance on Public health and alcohol licensing in England and other resources. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) recently released an alcohol public health briefing for local authorities. See here for an e-learning course on A&E data sharing and data sharing guidance.

All Home Office licensing guidance can be accessed here, including revised guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003 and amended guidance on the late night levy [pdf].

NTA survey seeks to establish national picture of alcohol services in hospital settings

Commissioners in England are being asked to partake in a survey of alcohol services in hospital settings in England by the National Treatment Agency (NTA). The NTA are to be part of Public Health England (PHE) as of 1st April.

Investment in a variety of models of hospital based alcohol services has increased in recent years, particularly since 2009 Department of Health alcohol guidance identified 'Appoint an Alcohol Health Worker' as a 'High Impact Change'. However the extent, nature and sustainability of these services is unknown.

The survey will provide the first ever national picture of the number and nature of the alcohol services in England’s hospitals and PHE will go on to develop guidance and materials to support the continued development and delivery of such services. Iain Armstrong of the NTA has indicated around half of the key Local Authority areas have completed the survey to date, with the survey remaining open to commissioners until 5th April 2013.

An NHS Evidence QIPP case study is available on Alcohol Care Teams: to reduce acute hospital admissions and improve quality of care. In 2010 Alcohol Concern published Alcohol Health Workers - description and review of the AHW posts

Further alcohol hospital resources are available here on the Alcohol Learning Centre, including on hospital based Alcohol Health Work. See here for NICE alcohol commissioning guidance.

London level alcohol action continues through LHIB: IBA in sexual health settings briefing; the economic case for action; leadership summit report

The shadow London Health Improvement Board (LHIB) alcohol programme has been continuing to push regional level action to address alcohol misuse on a number of priority areas, delivering a series of events, briefings and other projects. 

Through the Vision and Partnership strand, a series of workshops are being hosted to support local roles in effective partnership and advocacy action (places available to London roles on 25 & 27 March). Through the Licensing and Enforcement strand, a second Licensing Network event took place on the 15th March supporting effective partnership action and the development of public health approaches. Through the Early Intervention strand, the IBA Practitioners' Network has continued to support the objective of Identification and Brief Advice (IBA) delivered effectively across a range of settings.

IBA in sexual health settings - LHIB briefing

Also produced is a briefing note on the delivery of Identification and Brief Advice (IBA) in sexual health settings (pdf). The development of the briefing was supported by the London Sexual Health Programme, UCL, Chelsea and Westminster hospital, and Alcohol Concern.

Economic Case for Alcohol - LHIB briefing

A briefing paper which outlines the economic case for taking action on alcohol in London has also been developed. Download 'Taking Action on Alcohol in London: the case for action' (pdf).

IBA leadership summit - presentations and event report

The IBA leadership summit in January brought together over 130 senior decision makers and leaders and included presentations and workshops from a range of IBA experts. See here for the London IBA leadership summit 2013 write up (pdf) including presentations from the day.

A range of other initiatives are also underway, including an IBA scratchcard initiative to facilitate IBA delivery in Pharmacy settings, and the development of a London 'minimum standard' to ensure and support effective IBA delivery. Previously summary reviews of IBA across London and IBA across London Criminal Justice Settings were published.

Budget 2013: Beer duty sees small drop but wine and spirit duty esacalator remains

As of Sunday the price of a pint will be 1p less, ending the beer duty escalator that would have added 3p to a pint, as announced in the 2013 Budget. However the 2% above inflation duty rise continues for other drinks, adding 10p to a bottle of wine and 53p to a litre bottle of spirits. 

Pub and beer groups heralded the news as a welcome boost to the flagging pub industry, which has seen 10,000 pubs closed in the last 10 years. Last year the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) led on a petition calling for a freeze on duty, which achieved over 100,000k signatures and a parliamentary debate.

However other sections of the industry including Diageo and the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WTSA) were heavily critical of the singling out of beer and questioned the legality under EU law.

No news came on Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP), a Government decision now much anticipated after further speculation that the Prime Minister may give in to pressure to back down. He has however vowed to "tackle" the issue of cheap alcohol. The IFS have consistently argued for increased taxation as preferable to MUP, though some health academics argue both are required together. A VAT cut for pubs has also been argued.

See Budget 2013 alcohol duty comments and reports including:

• Is cheaper beer a sign of muddled thinking? BBC
• Cut in beer duty is welcome tonic for Britain's suffering pub - The Independent
• Cheers? Chancellor cuts beer duty but wine and spirits are still tapped - The Guardian