Scotland: Alcohol pricing proposals to be part of Government bill

SNP abandons plans to introduce minimum pricing by regulation The Scottish Government is to attempt to enact its proposals for limiting alcohol consumption through a separate health bill. The proposals, which include minimum pricing and potential controls on off-licence sales to the under-21s, were due to be part of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Bill, or even introduced via regulations, but following opposition pressure the Government is to allow increased scrutiny at Holyrood through the separate measure. This will also delay implementation until next year. Other measures which will be part of the bill will ban discount deals on alcohol and restrict the display and marketing of drink to specific areas within off-sales premises, as will the proposed social responsibility fee on certain premises to help pay for policing costs. Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "Scotland's alcohol misuse problem is estimated to cost our country at least £2.25 billion per year in extra services and lost productivity and professionals are agreed that the threat posed to our national health from current levels of consumption is very great. "Alcohol-related hospital admissions and deaths have increased markedly in recent years and this Government has already set out our framework for addressing the root causes behind these statistics." Opposition parties have welcomed the move by ministers, which they claimed amounted to a climbdown.