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Plenary, 25 Oct 2007

25 Oct 2007 · S3 · Plenary

Item of business

Alcohol

MacAskill, Kenny SNP Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Watch on SPTV

I say at the outset that I will be happy to accept Pauline McNeill's amendment. We are seeking to address underage drinking and although we have laws, they must be enforced. She raises an appropriate point that other cultural matters that relate to the problem should also receive great consideration. We are more than happy to take that on board.

It is timely that we are having the debate during alcohol awareness week. We should recognise the valuable work, led by my colleague Shona Robison, in partnership with the alcohol industry, to tackle Scotland's complex relationship with alcohol. She will explain more about that later.

Although we are determined to tackle the problems of alcohol misuse, we are not prohibitionists—alcohol alone is not the problem. We are rightly proud of our brewers and distillers and the significant contribution that they make to the Scottish economy. Pub culture has been an important element of social life in Scotland for hundreds of years. However, the major problem now is our relationship with alcohol. It is not the drink but how we drink and, sadly, the balance is completely out of kilter. Drinking to get drunk is seen as acceptable behaviour. Alcohol is promoted, sold and accepted as just another ordinary commodity, and it is sold at an unacceptably low price—strong cider can cost less than bottled water.

I have said it before and I repeat it today—nothing is off the agenda in consideration of proposals to tackle alcohol misuse. The Government is serious in its commitment to tackle the problem head on. I make no apologies for that. Voluntary measures are an important part of the solution but so, too, are tough legislative measures and direct action. We must be prepared to consider new and innovative ideas. The problem cannot be solved overnight, which is why we are working across Government to develop a long-term strategy.

It will take time to change the culture, and the extent of our problem with alcohol means that we have no time to lose. We need to shake ourselves out of the complacency that surrounds alcohol. The figures are stark: one Scot dies every six hours as a direct result of alcohol. We have the fastest-growing cirrhosis rates over the past decade of 41 countries that were surveyed. Over 40 per cent of those who are accused in homicide cases were drunk at the time of the offence. The overall financial cost to Scotland of alcohol misuse is estimated at £1.1 billion.

Statistics do not show us the whole picture: behind them lie the personal experiences of families and communities that have to deal with the consequences of alcohol misuse—family breakdown, acute illnesses, absence from work and violence. In addition, front-line services such as the police and the national health service have to deal every day with the aftermath of alcohol misuse in our towns and cities, which places them under an enormous burden.

As well as the development of a long-term strategy, we can quickly put some measures in place. I have introduced regulations, instigated by the previous Administration, that will require off-sales premises to have separate areas for the display of alcohol. That means that there will be no cross-merchandising, no beer beside the barbeque charcoal, no wine by the pizza counter and no gin and tonic in the chiller cabinet alongside the lunch-time sandwiches. We are not yet talking about having shops within shops or separate check-outs—we are talking about dedicated areas for the display of alcohol in order that we can begin to shift attitudes.

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Plenary, 25 Oct 2007

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