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Health and Sport Committee 10 January 2012

10 Jan 2012 · S4 · Health and Sport Committee

Item of business

Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Professor Stockwell Watch on SPTV

Sure. It is very nice to see you again, at more of a distance this time. You are correct in thinking that I was a little shocked—you can tell from the way that I speak that I am a Sassenach and originally from the UK. When I left, around 25 years ago, Britain was about 25th in the international rankings for per capita consumption; it was very moderate and a long way behind. Within about 15 years, after I went to Australia, I noticed that Britain had shot up in the rankings; I think that at one point it was third.Scotland and the north—particularly the north-east—of England have always had the highest consumption in the UK. From memory, the statistics that I saw on per capita consumption in Scotland show that it is roughly 50 per cent higher than in Canada.I was also quite shocked at how low the prices are in Britain and, when I have been out in the streets and cities on going back home, at how much vandalism and disorderly behaviour there is. It often does not feel very safe. I find that quite depressing, as I am sure you do, too.I am convinced that the bill will be effective. In review after review of the evidence of what works in the alcohol policy area to improve public health and safety across the whole population, pricing and taxation strategies always come up as number 1. The problem is, of course, that those strategies are the most unpopular with the general public, so it is brave of you to follow that course.You will be doing something that—from the scientific point of view—will without a shred of doubt save lives, reduce healthcare costs, prevent death and injury on the roads, prevent birth defects, and reduce public violence and a range of other things.However, minimum pricing is felt to be an attack on individual freedoms; the right to drink is very dear to many people, and particularly the Scottish. If you can get the bill through with enough public support, it will certainly work. I believe it to be the most effective type of pricing strategy, not because it is just politically viable or a little bit more palatable than a strategy across the board but because—as I have mentioned—there is now evidence from three countries. I have seen evidence in Canada that I have not shown to you: we have a survey of what people pay for their alcohol according to whether they are moderate, light or heavy drinkers. As in the UK and in the USA, the heavier drinkers gravitate towards the cheaper alcohol. I think that the bill will be effective.On the question whether we have any disaggregation, each study cannot cover the whole area; we should not look to just one study to answer every single question. The study that we have published answers one very important piece of the question: in public health, the total consumption of alcohol is known to be very predictive of the levels of harm. Scotland has much higher rates of liver cirrhosis and alcohol-impaired road traffic problems than Canada because its per capita consumption is so high. Our study looked at total sales data, but it is very good on class sales data too. It is just part of the overall puzzle.

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Health and Sport Committee 10 January 2012

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