The Scottish Government has launched an open consultation on its minimum unit pricing (MUP) plans following the green light last month from the Supreme Court.
The short consultation offers a free text response on the Scottish Government’s 'preferred price of 50 pence per unit of alcohol', which closes on 26 January 2018. Download the consultation paper here.
NHS Scotland has detailed the MUP evaluation portfolio with a slide set (pptx) setting out the theoretical, legal and practical elements of the programme. It sets out a 'portfolio of MESAS studies that are feasible, robust, necessary, sufficient and proportionate to fulfil the requirements of legislation' in addition to researchers applying for other grant funding to answer other important questions.
The proposed portfolio to date includes:
- Licensing and LSO data
- Observational study of small retailers (Commissioned. Led by University of Stirling)
- Weekly average price data of alcoholic products sold by ‘grocery multiple’ retailers
- Alcohol sales and price distribution
- Analysis of self report data on consumption
- Harmful drinkers study (Commissioned. Led by University of Sheffield)
- Analyses of routine data on health, crime, public safety and public nuisance, and impacts on children & young people
- Qualitative study on consumption and related behaviour in those under 18 years
- Questions in Scottish Social Attitudes Survey
- Economic impact case studies and routine data
- Household expenditure (if grant funding approved)
- University of Glasgow NIHR funded study
The National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) has also outlined its research programme evaluating the impact of MUP, particuarly on how effects may differ by age or deprivation on selected acute health harms and any unintended consequences that may occur. It will assess changes in alcohol-related attendances, and changes in the extent of hazardous and harmful drinking, in emergency departments in Scotland compared to North England. This will help establish whether MUP achieves its stated aim of reducing health harms.
Surveys will also be undertaken in Scotland and Northern England to detect whether MUP results in a change of source of alcohol or substitution with other drugs, as well as how it changes drinking patterns, particularly for young adults. The team aims to understand the experience of MUP and explore the potential mechanisms that may result in unanticipated benefits and harms and how these may differ between groups.
Chief investigator Professor Alastair Leyland from the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at the University of Glasgow said:
“The findings will be of interest to policy makers and the public in Scotland, the UK and internationally. It is expected that alcohol-related attendances at emergency departments will decrease. However, drinkers may avoid paying the increased price if they start buying alcohol not subject to MUP such as via the internet or across the border. There may be some adverse consequences if drinkers switch to illicit alcohol or other drugs.”
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