Minimum alcohol pricing law backed in the Highlands

A proposed minimum alcohol price in the Highlands has been welcomed by the region’s licensing authority.

However, the Highland Licensing Board, which met in Inverness today warned that a new law would not wipe out the misuse of drink on its own.

The Scottish Government wants to introduce a minimum price per unit of alcohol in a bid to reduce consumption and the related issues caused.

It estimates alcohol-related problems like health care and crime costs £3.5 billion a year.

Under previous proposals which were defeated in the Scottish Parliament, ministers said the price would be 45 pence per unit but a revised figure will be announced in the New Year after research is completed.

The licencing board was invited to submit written evidence on the new Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) bill which is likely to become law next summer because the SNP now has a majority government unlike the previous parliamentary term.

Board chairman, Councillor Peter Corbett, said it was broadly supportive of the proposed legislation but called for the government to use pricing with other methods to counter alcohol misuse.

"I think there are advantages in minimum pricing but there are other tools which should be used like education," said Councillor Corbett (Inverness Central), who added ensuring there were no extra costs to Highland Council in enforcing the pricing strategy was also important.

"As a local authority we certainly don’t what to have that."

Board member, Councillor Allan Henderson (Caol and Mallaig) raised concerns about the display of alcohol in Highland shops, particularly supermarkets.

The Lochaber Provost said stores shut certain till points so customers were forced to go deeper into the supermarket to pay for their groceries at further away tills - which are closer to the alcohol stocks.

"At certain times of the night certain shops will make sure the cash counter is close to where the alcohol is," he said.

But Councillor Richard Greene (Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh) said that was not a practice in rural shops where tills had to be close to the alcohol stock for security.

Councillor Greene said the board should not specify display requests in its evidence to the government because of the different layout of alcohol outlets.

Licensing standards officer Ian Cox told the board that many smaller outlets were advised by the police to have CCTV installed near till points and alcohol stocks for added security.

The board decided not to suggest where alcohol displays should be situated in the formal response to the government

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.