'Min price doesn't breach competition law'

The Government could set a minimum price for alcohol without breaching competition law — that's the view of Labour MP Sally Keeble who hopes to win support for her Alcohol Sales Bill.

The private members' bill, which was unveiled earlier this week at 10 Downing Street, calls for the setting up of a Drinks Industry Council (DIC), made up of representatives from the on and off trade, producers, police, health care, youth sector and consumers. The DIC would advise Government on a minimum price for a unit of alcohol.

"As I understand it competition law prevents retailers getting together and agreeing a minimum price," Keeble told the Morning Advertiser​. "That would be a cartel but if the price is set by legislation then it would be OK.

"The council would work a little like the Low Pay Commission does in setting the minimum wage."

The Bill also sets out proposals for the minimum price to be varied dependent on type of drink, alcoholic strength, region and the type of establishment selling it but Keeble said a national minimum price would be more practical. "I think, personally, there would have to be a national minimum price or you would get people travelling to different areas for cheap alcohol."

Happy hour​

Keeble said the main target of the Bill was cheap supermarket alcohol rather than pubs. "This would not mean the end of happy hours for pubs. They would just have to tie drinks prices to the minimum unit price set. You could not have an all you can drink for £18 deal but you could have a pay £18 for X number of units equated to the minimum price."

Only a minority of private members' bills become law but Keeble said she would try and persuade one of the ten MPs drawn from the ballot, who have priority in getting their bills passed, to adopt her Bill or seek to have parts added to up and coming legislation on health and law and disorder.

"This is a serious campaign," she said.