ALCOHOL PRICING

That this House notes that there is a very serious health problem affecting very many people in the UK associated with the drinking of excessive amounts of alcohol; believes that a programme of education about the deleterious effects of excessive drinking has on health and welfare is essential but also agrees with the Prime Minister that minimum pricing of alcohol can lead to reductions in the excessive consumption of alcohol with attendant improvement in health; regrets that the Government seems to have abandoned its proposals for the minimum pricing of alcohol; and calls on the Government to think again and reinstate its plans for minimum alcohol pricing.