Donaldson confirms call for minimum price

Plans recommending the government introduce a minimum price on alcohol as an "immediate priority" have been unveiled by Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson today.

In his Annual Report ​, Donaldson calls for a 50p per unit minimum, to cut alcohol consumption, its "associated problems" and save £1bn a year.

The figure tallies with The Publican's​ Make it the Minimum​ campaign, launched last October.

Donaldson's report says: "Establishing minimum pricing requires government action.

"Supermarkets are particularly liable to sell alcohol at low prices.

"Currently, no single supermarket chain would increase its prices and risk losing customers to competitors, and Competition Commission rules prevent supermarkets working together to set prices."

However Gordon Brown today did not appear keen on the plan, saying he did not want to bring additional burdens to "moderate" drinkers.

Though the report recommends a 50p unit minimum across the board, there is concern the on-trade and off-trade could still be treated differently.

The report draws reference to the Sheffield University study, which includes the option for a 40p per unit minimum in the off-trade and £1 per unit minimum in the on-trade.

Passive drinking

"Passive drinking" - "the consequences of one person's drinking on another's well-being" - must also be recognised as a key issue, the report says. It calls for a national study to be carried out to assess the impact, including the economic effects of passive drinking.

Donaldson states: "In contrast to smoking, alcohol is too often viewed as a problem for individuals rather than for society.

"This is not the case. The second-hand effects of alcohol consumption - which I collectively term 'passive drinking' - are more complex in their causation than those of passive smoking, and more wide-ranging in their impact."

Donaldson also recommends that licensing laws should be changed so that public health "considerations" are central and the impact of passive drinking is recognised.

Earlier this month the Scottish government also outlined plans to introduce a minimum, which it hopes will be in place by the end of the year. The plan, however, is facing tough opposition from other political parties, trade bodies and drinks firms.