Minister stands firm on minimum pricing

The government is standing firm in its opposition to minimum pricing and insists a mandatory code can help tackle alcohol-related problems.

Home Office minister Vernon Coaker yesterday told MPs the evidence the impact a minimum price would have on crime and disorder was "contradictory".

However he admitted its potential impact on health was "a lot clearer".

During the Home Affairs Committee meeting, Coaker was repeatedly pressed on the issue of minimum pricing, with MP Keith Vaz asking why the government was refusing to accept advice from experts, such as Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson.

But Coaker said because the government believed "the majority of people are responsible" a minimum price "would not be appropriate at this time".

Worryingly for the trade however, the minister appeared not to recognise that a minimum price would affect cheap supermarket deals, and did not acknowledge it could help the pub trade.

"If you had a minimum price of 50p a unit many of the city centre bars are already charging more than that," he said.

Coaker later said that the government wanted to change the way alcohol was marketed and sold through its mandatory code of practice.

The controversial code, which will have a full public consultation to be launched in the next few weeks, is likely to include a ban on offers such as "women drink for free" and "all-you-can-drink".

Forcing pubs to offer a 125ml measure of wine would also be "a way forward", said Coaker, who is overseeing the code.

However he ended by saying: "There will be mandatory conditions which will be applicable to the on-trade and mandatory conditions that will be applicable to the off-trade as well."