MPs' report urges action on minimum pricing

An influential group of MPs have made a fresh call for minimum pricing and blasted supermarkets for heavily discounting alcohol.

The health committee's long-awaited report into alcohol states that a minimum price of 50p per unit would help save more than 3,000 lives a year.

The call, which mirrors The Publican's​ own recommended level as part of the Make it the Minimum campaign, gives hope that the government will be forced to act on cut-price alcohol in the off-trade.

The report, the result of a nine-month long inquiry, found some places selling alcohol for as little as 10p a unit.

Kevin Barron, health committee chairman, said: "I agree with the chief medical officer that introducing unit pricing will reduce binge-drinking. It will also help traditional pubs in their battle against cut-price supermarket offers."

However, Barron did reveal during a press conference before the official release of the report there had been a split on the committe over minimum pricing, with Conservative members opposing the proposal.

But other MPs on the committee highlghted that minimum pricing would "bolster" pubs.

The report also urges the government to cut duty on drinks with an ABV below 2.8 per cent and increase duty on spirits and industrial white cider, whilst tightening controls on promotions.

Julian Grocock, chief executive of the Society of Independent Brewers, welcomed the report's call for a minimum price.

But he added: "I would like to see more positive statements coming from the health lobby about the value of pubs and how they can be part of the solution."

Tony Brookes, managing director of North East-based pub company Head of Steam, said: "This is good news. I totally believe in minimum pricing. Without doubt it is the supermarkets causing the binge-drinking problems and they need their knuckles wrapped."

However, the committee's recommendations are not all good news for the pub trade.

The report claims the drinks industry is dependent on "hazardous and harmful" drinkers for three-quarters of sales.

In a chilling verdict for pubs, it says if people drank responsibly alcohol sales would plummet 40 per cent.

Local councils should also be given more rights to challenge the licences of poorly-run venues, the report recommends.

Meanwhile, MPs accuse the Department for Culture Media and Sport of "extraordinary naivety" over the introduction of the Licensing Act. It attacks it for believing that a more flexible licensing regime would "bring about a civilised café culture".

The government must respond to the health committee's report within two months.