Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the Institute of Alcohol Studies' article entitled £27.4 billion cost of alcohol harm in England every year, published on 20 May 2024.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Following the recent alcohol duty reforms, all alcoholic products are now taxed by strength. This reflects public health priorities and helps to address potentially harmful products like ‘white’ ciders and strong fortified wines, which are often cited by health groups as being abused.

The Chancellor has confirmed that she will set out plans for tax – as well as spending and borrowing – in the usual way at the Budget on 30 October.

HM Treasury welcomes representations as part of this policy making process and Budget submissions will be received through the online portal until 10 September.

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Found: AD explained that AFS is a national charity working to prevent and reduce alcohol harm.

Found: price per unit of alcohol to 65p Alcohol Advertising We are taking forward further action to tackle alcohol

Found: PREVENTIONPOPULATION HEALTH STRATEGY AND IMPROVEMENTDIRECTORATE FOR POPULATION HEALTHDG HLTHSCSenior Policy Officer - Alcohol

Found: I have copied [REDACTED] and [REDACTED] from the Alcohol Harm Prevention Team who are leading on this

Found: This, in turn, will drive reductions in alcohol harm in our most deprived communities.

Found: We are taking decisive prev entative action to reduce alcohol harm, including reviewing minimum unit

Found: success as Cabinet Health Secretar y and hope you will harness your vital role to turn the tide on alcohol

Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider allowing football clubs to sell alcohol at games, allowing clubs the opportunity to offer fans a chance to meet up and enjoy a pint before the game.

Answered by Todd, Maree - Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport

The Scottish Government remains committed to reducing the significant impact of alcohol harm on the nation’s health through a range of measures including the forthcoming increase to Minimum Unit Pricing. However, we also recognise the calls for football fans to have the same opportunities as fans at other sports and events and we will continue to engage with the football authorities, supporters groups and clubs on ways to enhance the fan experience.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its current actions in relation to alcohol are sufficient to address the scale of alcohol harm in Scotland, particularly in light of the latest alcohol-specific death statistics.

Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health

Every life lost to alcohol is a tragedy and the recent alcohol specific deaths statistics published by the National Records of Scotland is a stark reminder of the challenge we continue to face in tackling alcohol harm across Scotland.

The Scottish Government continues to prevent alcohol harm including continuing and increasing the minimum unit price of alcohol. Minimum unit pricing has been estimated to have saved hundreds of lives since it was first implemented in 2018 and the steps taken by this Government are expected to continue and increase the positive health effects of the policy. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care has also set out the next steps for progressing work on alcohol marketing, which also seeks to develop further preventative approaches to reducing alcohol harm.

To support people already drinking at hazardous and harmful levels the Scottish Government provided record investment to ADPs in the 2024-2025 financial year. In addition to this we are currently developing a national treatment specification for alcohol treatment in Scotland which will look to build on the work of the forthcoming UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment. The Scottish Government also supports innovation to develop best practice on tackling alcohol harm including projects such as the Managed Alcohol Programme and the Primary Care Alcohol Nurse Outreach Service which has recently been embedded into mainstream services in Glasgow City ADP.