Minimum pricing plan confirmed for Scotland

Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond today confirmed the country will legislate to tackle alcohol misuse - which could include a ban on off-sales to under-21s and minimum pricing.

But the measures to be put in place will rest on the results of a current consultation on alcohol misuse.

Minimum pricing, a social responsibility fee for retailers, alcohol-only checkouts in off-licences and a ban on off-sales to under-21s are all being considered.

The total cost of alcohol misuse to Scotland is estimated to be around £2.25bn in 2006-07, the government said. This includes an estimated cost of £400m to Scottish industry in lost productivity and absence and a similar cost to NHS Scotland.

The proposals unveiled today are included in a Health Bill which is one of 15 Bills that the Scottish government plans to introduce in the year ahead.

Mr Salmond said he wanted to address some of the underlying issues affecting Scotland including an "over-prevalence on alcohol, where we have a serious problem".

But the Wine Spirit and Trade Association attacked the proposals saying current laws should be enforced.

Chief executive Jeremy Beadles, said: "The Scottish government has demonstrated its refusal to listen to the Scottish people in pursuing its nonsensical policy of raising the purchasing age to 21.

"Instead of actually enforcing the laws available to tackle problems associated with alcohol misuse, the SNP has decided that headlines are more important than progress. "It is by getting police out on the streets enforcing the law that we will make our communities safer."