Motion: Scotland Needs Minimum Pricing

Scotland Needs Minimum Pricing

Lodged by Ian McKee Standard Motion 20 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament expresses deep concern at the findings of NHS Scotland’s alcohol statistics 2011 report showing that Scots drink far higher quantities of alcohol than their counterparts in the rest of the United Kingdom; observes that the report, published every two years to give an account of Scotland’s relationship with alcohol, relates to data from 2009 and reveals that in that year Scots drank the equivalent of 11.9 litres of alcohol per person over the age of 16 compared with 9.6 litres per person in England and Wales; further notes that the number of alcohol-related deaths has doubled in Scotland over the past 20 years and that more than 100 alcohol-related hospital admissions are reported each day; expresses further concern at the increase in alcohol-related deaths in women and in the 8% increase in the number of alcohol-related discharges from psychiatric hospitals; highlights that 54% of men and women drink the most alcohol at home and that off-license sales have increased year on year; considers that Scotland’s drink culture will not change unless concrete action is taken to increase the price of alcohol, and believes that, if the SNP government’s proposals for minimum unit pricing had been passed, fewer people would be suffering the consequences of cheap alcohol and progress to save lives and reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions would already be underway.

Supporters (20)