Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) increase awareness of the links between alcohol abuse and cancer and (b) introduce a health warning on alcohol labels.

The consultation to seek views on whether to introduce mandatory calorie labelling on prepacked alcohol and alcohol sold in on-trade businesses such as pubs and restaurants will be launched in due course. The consultation will also seek views on whether the provision of the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ (CMOs) low risk drinking guidelines and a drink-driving warning should be mandatory or continue on a voluntary basis. Respondents to the consultation will be able to provide suggestions for additional labelling requirements, including additional warnings pertaining to health.

The UK CMOs’ low risk drinking guidelines highlight that the risk of developing a range of health problems, including cancer, increases with greater alcohol consumption on a regular basis. We continue to promote these guidelines through public health messaging, including the ‘Better Health’ campaign and the Drink Free Days app.