The Welsh Government is pressing ahead with plans to introduce a
50p minimum unit price for alcohol in Wales following a public
consultation, Health Minister announced today.
Alcohol is a major cause of death and illness in Wales. It leads
to a number of health and social harms, particularly for the
significant minority of people who drink to excess.
In 2017, there were 540 alcohol-related deaths in Wales and in
2017-18, there were nearly 55,000 alcohol-related hospital
admissions. All alcohol-related deaths and alcohol-related
hospital admissions are preventable.
Ministers have long been clear that a pricing intervention must
be a key component of the Welsh Government’s comprehensive
strategy to tackle alcohol misuse, not least because the
affordability of alcohol has increased significantly over the
past two decades.
The National Assembly supported minimum pricing when the Public
Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill was passed last
year.
The 2018 Act is targeted at protecting the health of hazardous
and harmful drinkers who tend to consume greater amounts of
low-cost and high-strength alcohol. It provides a formula for
calculating the applicable minimum price for alcohol by
multiplying the percentage strength of the alcohol, its volume
and the minimum unit price. This allows the Welsh Government to
target the sale and supply of low-cost and high-strength
alcohol.
Ministers have consulted on a preferred minimum unit price of
50p. A summary of the responses to that consultation have been
published today. Taking into account these consultation
responses, Ministers remain of the view of that a 50p minimum
unit price is a proportionate response to tackling the health
risks of excessive alcohol consumption.
The Welsh Government intends to lay regulations to the National
Assembly for Wales, specifying this level, for its consideration
later this year.
Health Minister, said:
“The Welsh Government has always said that minimum pricing forms
part of a wider strategy and approach to reducing substance
misuse.
“Following a public consultation, I’m pleased to confirm we will
now ask the National Assembly for Wales to approve a 50p minimum
unit price. We believe a 50p minimum unit price strikes a
reasonable balance between the anticipated public health and
social benefits and intervention in the market.
“We will continue to use all available levers to reduce the harms
caused by the excessive consumption of alcohol, as we develop and
take forward a new delivery plan for substance misuse.”
Many responses to the consultation supported the principle of
minimum pricing, but also raised issues regarding the potential
unintended consequences of introducing a minimum unit price for
alcohol.
The Minister added:
“The consultation process raised a number of issues, such as the
potential impacts on vulnerable groups, household budgets, the
risk of switching to other substances and the potential increase
in the number of people seeking support from services. We will
continue to consider these potential impacts.
“We have commissioned specific research to look at the risk of
switching, which will report ahead of implementation. In December
2018, we announced an extra £2.4m in funding for Area Planning
Boards for local frontline substance misuse services so that we
can ensure services are widely available. We have worked closely
with Area Planning Boards throughout the development of this
legislation and we will continue to do so ahead of
implementation.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
- Ahead of implementation, the Welsh Government will continue
to work with Area Planning Boards, retailers and other
stakeholders – to finalise guidance, supporting documentation and
communications to help people prepare. Welsh Government will also
continue to work closely with local authorities and the Welsh
Heads of Trading Standards on plans for inspection and
enforcement of the legislation.
- We will also implement our plans to evaluate the legislation,
which is currently being commissioned.
