The government said radical action was needed to tackle Scotland’s alcohol problems New laws to tackle Scotland’s historic alcohol problems are to be passed by MSPs – but without plans to bring in minimum drink pricing.
The SNP government’s Alcohol Bill aims to tackle an issue said to cost Scotland more than £3bn a year.
But key measures, including raising the purchase age for off licence sales, have failed to find enough support from opposition parties.
The bill will ban irresponsible drink promotions at off licences.
It will also pave the way for the introduction of a “social responsibility fee” on retailers who sell alcohol.
And licensed premises will be required to operate an age verification policy, based on the age of 25, rather than 21.
The government brought forward its bill saying radical action was needed to tackle problems with alcohol-fuelled violence and related health issues.
Ministers said a wide range of professionals, including senior police officers and health experts, backed plans to set a minimum price per unit of alcohol at 45p.
But Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems said the move would penalise responsible drinkers and could be illegal under European competition law.
By this evening, MSPs will have passed new laws to tackle Scotland’s drinking culture.
But, despite its content, the Alcohol Bill may be just as much remembered for what it doesn’t do.
The measures before parliament today are a watered-down version of the government’s original plans.
Gone is the bill’s central plan – minimum drink pricing – along with raising the alcohol purchase age.
Recognising opposition, ministers offered a sunset clause in the first of those proposals and, in the second, pulled back on the original plan for a blanket rise, in favour of allowing the decision to be made locally.
But, in the end, the opposition parties didn’t go for it.
They claim minimum pricing is illegal and that raising the purchase age discriminates against young people.
Labour says the solution is clamping down on caffeinated alcohol, but it has lost that argument in parliament as well.
There is one thing the parties do agree on – that the problem needs radical action – it’s just that they disagree on how to go about it.
As the bill completes its passage through parliament, MSPs may be left wondering whether what is left will do the job.
And government plans to allow local licensing boards to raise the age for buying alcohol from off licences from 18 to 21 have been dismissed as “discriminatory” by opposition parties.
As MSPs debate the bill for the final time, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon will attempt to re-insert minimum pricing into the legislation, after it was earlier voted out, although it is almost certain the measure will not become law.
She told the BBC: “There is vast and growing support outside parliament for minimum pricing and that’s why, even at this late stage, I call on the opposition parties to put party politics aside and vote for something that is in the interests of improving public health.”
Ms Sturgeon added: “We’ve got a massive problem with alcohol misuse. It costs lives, it puts an enormous burden on our health service, our police service – we need to tackle it.”
Labour is bringing forward its own amendment, to restrict the caffeine content of alcoholic drinks to not more than 150 milligrammes per litre of alcohol.
But the move, which would effectively ban the tonic wine Buckfast, also lacks the political support to become law.
Jackie Baillie, Labour’s health spokeswoman, claimed research suggested those who drank caffeinated alcohol were more likely to end up in hospital.
Pointing to similar bans introduced in the US states of Michigan and Oklahoma, she said: “The combination of caffeine and alcohol is an explosive mix that increases aggression, anxiety and the likelihood of violence.”
Liberal Democrat health spokesman Ross Finnie said the bill was “one step” on the road to changing Scotland’s relationship with alcohol, adding: “Liberal Democrats support moves to crack down on irresponsible alcohol promotions.”
But Mr Finnie said the SNP had “failed to make the case for minimum pricing” and claimed the social responsibility fee had become a “punitive” measure.
The Conservatives have also raised concern about the fee, and will attempt to amend the policy to provide a discount on the levy to responsible shop owners, as well as other changes.
And the party wants a “sunset clause” in the bill, to ensure all the main measures are reviewed after five years.
Deputy Scottish Tory leader Murdo Fraser said: “With the SNP’s indiscriminate blanket minimum pricing dead in the water, the challenge is for all parties to come together and find real, practical solutions to tackle Scotland’s drink problem.
“There is no ‘silver bullet’ to cure Scotland’s over-consumption of alcohol and the most pressing need is a change of culture.”
MSPs are likely to pass one government amendment, which would place restrictions on alcohol discounting through the use of loyalty cards, vouchers and combined sales of alcohol with other goods, such as meal deals.
Drink would also be excluded from reward schemes.
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