Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams, MP for Arfon, today urged the Westminster government to come out in support of minimum alcohol pricing.
Plaid Cymru support a policy of 50p per unit minimum pricing of alcohol which would increase the cost of strong alcohol and prevent supermarkets using ‘booze offers’.
Alcohol Concern Cymru say that in Wales there are around 13,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions in Wales each year, and around 1,000 alcohol-related deaths. Almost half of all violence is linked to alcohol; and the cost of alcohol misuse on the NHS is around £70-£85million per year in treatment and accident and emergency admissions.
Mr Williams raised these issues in a Westminster Hall debate.
Mr Williams said:
“A minimum pricing scheme of 50p per unit of alcohol would cut hospital admissions resulting from alcohol consumption, cut crime and go a long way to addressing the inequality between off-licenses and pubs.
“In Wales, minimum pricing would help our troubled pub industry as supermarkets would feel the effects much more.
“Experts say that it would also encourage people to buy weaker alcohol – by raising the price of cheap but strong alcohol it would help prevent binge drinking.
“But at the same time it will not affect people who drink moderately and responsibly.
“Under Labour the use and abuse of alcohol increased significantly and they did little to stop it. They should have stepped in earlier to stop supermarkets using alcohol as a loss leader and protected community pubs.
“This is a measure supported by the drinks industry and health professionals. It is advocated by the Plaid-driven Welsh government and I believe is high time that the UK Government took steps to put minimum alcohol pricing in place.
“The UK Government must show it is serious about tackling alcohol misuse and show real support for the local pub businesses.”
