Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the findings of the report by the Alcohol Health Alliance UK Small change: alcohol at pocket money prices, published in November, what steps they are taking to limit the sale of cheap, strong alcohol.

The Government has taken measures to tackle alcohol consumption through pricing interventions including banning sales of alcohol below the level of duty plus VAT which set an important regulatory precedent.

HM Treasury introduced a higher duty band on cider at 6.9% and 7.5% alcohol by volume in February 2019. This targeted measure is to tackle cheap high strength ‘white’ ciders to encourage reformulation to lower alcohol levels and discourage consumption so as to help to reduce the harm associated with these drinks.

The Department wants to increase the general drinking population towards lower strength alternatives to moderate drinking habits. We will work with industry to create more consumer choice and availability in the low and no alcohol sector.