Worcester MP's cautious welcome for booze price rules

4:37pm Wednesday 13th March 2013 in News

The Prime Minister has not set a minimum price per unit of alcohol The Prime Minister has not set a minimum price per unit of alcohol

CALLS to set a minimum alcohol price have been cautiously backed by Worcester’s MP - but only if there are no side effects for struggling pubs.

Robin Walker said he would be prepared to support a strategy to cut down on binge drinking, but insisted the policy needs to be carefully thought through to avoid damaging businesses.

Prime Minister David Cameron pledged to crack down on supermarkets selling cheap booze today but stopped short of introducing a minimum unit pricing policy, saying the Government was still examining the results of a consultation on the policy.

Mr Walker said: “I am prepared to support it as long as it doesn’t affect someone having a pint in a pub or a bottle of wine after a long week at work.

“As long as it encourages responsible drinking I can see the rationale.”

A base price of 45p per unit in England and Wales has been suggested by some MPs, but many supporters want it applied touper-strength beers only.

Comments(6)

Landy44 says...
10:17pm Wed 13 Mar 13

In the 1950's we decided to create a welfare state and a national health service. Whilst these were good ideas at the time, as they have slowly become unaffordable they have spawned more and more decisions like the one in this article. This has enabled government to invade and control areas of our lives it has no business getting involved in, simply to keep the experiment going.

It's way past time for a rethink.

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green49 says...
9:06am Thu 14 Mar 13

All those who get bladdered and need medical treatment or get arrested should be made to pay for what its cost as its self inflicted, why should the taxpayer pay for it.?

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New Kid on the Block says...
9:34am Thu 14 Mar 13

green49 wrote:
All those who get bladdered and need medical treatment or get arrested should be made to pay for what its cost as its self inflicted, why should the taxpayer pay for it.?
No disagreement there but why should those of us who drink sensibly have to pay over the odds?

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Arthur Blenkinsop says...
9:54am Thu 14 Mar 13

In my local, a pint of beer has just gone up to £3.00. Now, that pint is apparently 1.8 units of alcohol, which makes that 1.66/unit!
Raising the minimum price per unit to 45p/unit for booze from a supermarket or similar is a joke. It will not deter anyone.

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Hwicce says...
11:41am Thu 14 Mar 13

The best way to cut down on binge drinking would be to arrest the drunks on Friday and Saturday nights, chuck them in a cell overnight to sober up, put them in front of a magistrate the next morning, fine them £250, and send them on their way.

If every drunken binge cost them a night in the cells and £250 they'd soon slow down.

Meanwhile the rest of us can get on drinking in peace.

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green49 says...
11:40am Sat 16 Mar 13

New Kid on the Block says...
9:34am Thu 14 Mar 13

green49 wrote:
All those who get bladdered and need medical treatment or get arrested should be made to pay for what its cost as its self inflicted, why should the taxpayer pay for it.?

No disagreement there but why should those of us who drink sensibly have to pay over the odds?

Quite agree, it always seems to me its the minority who cause the problems and the rest of us get the bill, i also like Hwicce's idea make the ones who cause the problem pay as it always hurts the most when your hit in the pocket.

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