Channel 4 news last week produced a feature report exploring alcohol-related harm and current national policy. The feature Boozing Britain: calling time on cheap alcohol questioned whether the government policy not to back minimum pricing was right after firm calls from the Health Select Committee.
The select committee had released its alcohol inquiry report earlier this year, but the government response last week said it would not yet impose advertising controls or adopt minimum pricing, but emphasised a range of other measures were being taken to address alcohol harm. Public Health Minister Gillian Merron told Channel 4 news that they hadn't ruled minimum pricing out and that further understanding of its impact was needed.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) are expected to come out backing minimum pricing after the approaching general election. The Conservatives have however vowed to increase taxes on 'super strengths' and ban supermarkets from loss-leading. Meanwhile the Scottish National Party (SNP) are still pushing for minimum pricing against what has been described by some as opposition based on political point scoring.
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