Grogan: government still divided on minimum price
The government remains divided on the idea of setting a minimum price on alcohol, Labour MP John Grogan has revealed.
Grogan, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, said the Department of Health and Home Office can "see advantages" to a minimum price.
But the Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Department is "more sceptical", he added.
Grogan, who is in favour of minimum pricing, was responding to the Chief Medical Officer's call today for a minimum price of 50p for a unit of alcohol - the same price that the The Publican's Make it the Minimum campaign is calling for to bring an end to irresponsible deals and to help pubs compete with the off-trade.
Gordon Brown appeared against the idea today, when asked about the issue.
Grogan, a firm pub trade supporter, said ministers would continue to come under pressure on the issue because of the Scottish government's efforts to act on minimum pricing.
He said: "How could you have one price of beer in Edinburgh in a supermarket and another in Newcastle?"
The Labour MP for Selby also said there was a "potential alliance" of doctors, police, publicans and small shopkeepers who would be in favour of a minimum price.
"His idea ticks a multitude of boxes," Grogan said.
"As regards health, it surely cannot be right that high-strength alcohol is being sold by supermarkets as a loss leader at below cost. As regards law and order, binge drinking is largely fuelled by 'pre-loading' of cheap supermarket alcohol before going out on the town."
Drinking in pubs compared to buying in supermarkets was now seven times more expensive compared to the 1980s, he said.
Grogan added: "A minimum price would close that gap and encourage people to drink in licensed premises the vast majority of which encourage a sensible approach to drinking."
Mark Hastings, communications director at the British Beer & Pub Association, agreed that it was "an opportunity" for the trade to sit down with health bodies and the police to tackle the issues around alcohol.
"We are all concerned about these issues and would support such an initiative," he said.
Sign the Make it the Minimum online petition at petitions.number10.gov.uk/makeittheminimum/
