Committee
Public Petitions Committee, 23 Sep 2008
23 Sep 2008 · S3 · Public Petitions Committee
Item of business
New Petitions
Off-sales Alcohol Purchases (Age Limit) (PE1187 and PE1191)
Tom French:
Watch on SPTV
We have suggested that instead of creating new laws and raising the purchase age, there are three other ways in which we could tackle alcohol misuse in Scotland. The first is enforcement of the current laws, such as increased use of test purchasing. Test purchasing is not being used enough, and the incidence of shopkeepers selling to underage people has increased over the past few years, so we need to crack down on irresponsible sellers of alcohol. A national proof-of-age card and the introduction of a mandatory challenge 21 policy are other means of better enforcing the current law.We fully agree with getting rid of irresponsible drinks promotions, which has been done effectively as a result of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, because of which on-sales premises are no longer able to offer happy hours and buy-one-get-one-free offers, which encourage people to drink more than they had intended. We agree with minimum pricing, to the extent that we think that irresponsible price promotions should be abolished. Because it is so cheap, a £1.99 bottle of wine might encourage someone to drink more than they had intended. However, the price should not be at a level that inflicts on low-income families. There has to be a balance, although we agree with minimum pricing as a mechanism. We agree with getting rid of irresponsible drinks promotions in off-sales and tackling the influx of binge tour promoters in Scotland, such as Carnage UK and Student Night Out, which essentially promote gigantic pub crawls that I argue are irresponsible.Finally, there is education. We know that education is not the only solution, and that it has to be part of a package of measures, but as Greig Muir said, the standard of alcohol and drugs education in Scotland in schools is not brilliant, and the quality varies from school to school. We would like an improvement in the quality of alcohol education, which should involve working with parents. We believe that families will be important if we are to change the culture of drinking in Scotland. We would like more about that and less of what is—one might argue—a bit of a headline-grabbing public relations job to make the Government seem to be tough on alcohol misuse and antisocial behaviour with what is not necessarily an intelligent policy.
In the same item of business
The Convener:
Lab
We will now consider PE1187 and PE1191 together as they deal with the same subject. PE1187, by Greig Muir, calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scott...
Greig Muir:
I lodged my petition because I thought it was necessary to show the anger that exists about the Government's proposal to increase the age limit for alcohol o...
The Convener:
Lab
I invite Tom French to comment on his petition.
Tom French (Coalition Against Raising the Drinking Age in Scotland):
I represent the coalition against raising the drinking age in Scotland, which is a coalition of youth and student organisations, including the National Union...
The Convener:
Lab
Tom, I think that we have got the message. Some things never change in student unions: a three-minute speech always takes seven minutes.Clearly, we now need ...
John Wilson:
SNP
Good afternoon. In light of the Government's consultation on raising the purchase age for alcohol to 21, what are your views on the actions that have been ta...
Greig Muir:
I do not think that the Government should take advice from supermarkets about law. It is up to the Government to decide whether the proposal is an appropriat...
Tom French:
We welcome initiatives such as challenge 21 and challenge 25. In our consultation response, we suggested that the challenge 21 policy should be made a mandat...
John Wilson:
SNP
I was interested in Mr French's analysis of the figures from the pilot areas. In Armadale, it was clearly identified that the number of incidents of alcohol ...
Tom French:
We need to clarify which issues we are trying to address. Are we trying to address the excessive consumption and misuse of alcohol or antisocial behaviour? T...
Rhoda Grant:
Lab
We are all concerned about alcohol misuse. How could we best promote responsible drinking? You disagree with the policy of raising the age limit for purchasi...
Greig Muir:
Other policies that were mentioned in the consultation, such as setting a minimum price per unit of alcohol, could have a very positive effect. We should tak...
Tom French:
We have suggested that instead of creating new laws and raising the purchase age, there are three other ways in which we could tackle alcohol misuse in Scotl...
Gurjit Singh (National Union of Students Scotland):
Through NUS Scotland, student unions promote safe drinking in various campaigns. On Tom French's point, I believe that tackling binge drinking must be part o...
Nanette Milne:
Con
I would like one small point of clarification. You have made some cogent points, all of which I agree with. In NUS Scotland's response to the Government cons...
Tom French:
Yes.
Nanette Milne:
Con
Greig, have you responded, too?
Greig Muir:
Yes.
Tom French:
We were dismayed—I think that is the right term—that seven days before the consultation ended, the First Minister said that the proposal would form part of t...
Nanette Milne:
Con
That will now be in the Official Report.
The Convener:
Lab
There is reassurance in that the issue has to go before Parliament where, unlike previously, the Government does not command a majority.There are a couple of...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab):
Lab
I understand that you have done a lot of work in speaking to MSPs and various organisations. Have you found any support for the policy in those conversations?
Tom French:
The meetings have suggested that the Labour Party—as you know—the Conservative party, the Liberal Democrats, the Green party and even some Scottish National ...
Claire Baker:
Lab
My follow-up question is on an issue that you have hinted at. Do you see a need for community solutions? The changes were introduced on a trial basis as loca...
Tom French:
Definitely. We want more investment in alternatives to alcohol for young people. As the Government pointed out in its consultation document, some schemes are...
John Wilson:
SNP
It was said earlier that if the Government cannot get the proposal through at national level, it will introduce it at local level. I want to clarify the situ...
Tom French:
That was not my comment.
John Wilson:
SNP
Right—a point was, however, made on the impact of the proposal on low-income families. Will the panel expand on that? The question whether the proposal can b...
Greig Muir:
I do not really understand the last point.
John Wilson:
SNP
I will clarify it. I think you said that the proposed policy would discriminate against those who cannot afford to buy alcohol. I am trying to draw out what ...