Plan to set minimum price for alcohol

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/cameron-to-set-minimum-price-for-alcohol-8348427.html

Will this have any effect on crime or alcoholism?

Mr Cameron seems too think so.

/// The Prime Minister said banning the sale of alcohol at less than 40p a unit could produce "50,000 fewer crimes each year and 900 fewer alcohol-related deaths per year by the end of the decade". ///

Where has he plucked these figures from?

[sunny-dave]

Naff all effect AoG - it's just more grandstanding by an increasingly out of touch PM - that's out of touch with everybody, including his own party.

When we had this topic a while back I produced a handy 'look up table' to show the proposed *minimum* prices of various alcoholic beverages.

For instance a pint of beer at 4% = 91p

and a bottle of wine at 13.0% = £3.90

and a bottle of scotch at 40% = £11.20

Use the link below to check on your favourite tipple :

http://oi43.tinypic.com/33y5pw4.jpg

[ChuckFickens]

So essentially the minimum prices would be pretty much exactly what everything is already being sold at now (excluding the occasional special offer)

[Gromit]

No, the figures are made up. It will have nil affect on crime.

The alcohol that is less than 40p per unit that the supermakets are selling are very weak. You would probably drown on it before it got you drunk.

Strong beers and spirits will not be affected by the minimum price is the stuff that gets people rapidly drunk and anti social.

I suspect this will go the way of a lot of other Coalition policies - badly though out, badly implemented and all for no benefit to anyone.

[sunny-dave]

That would pretty much correct Mr Fickens - hence my 'grandstanding' comment ...

[jno]

I'm all for restricting binge drinking to the wealthy toff classes, but don't they usually take cocaine rather than beer anyway?

[Mccracker]

up in Scotland its per unit on the can/bottle, I like Strongbow cider which at the moment is £3.89 for a 2 litre bottle but it has 10 units,the Scottish gov has announced a 50p price so it will cost a minimum of £5.
When sales slump and brewers start laying off staff,I wonder what the said governments will blame.

[anotheoldgit]

Perhaps he should also discontinue the subsidised drinks in the House of Commons bar, perhaps it would then put an end to any brawls and MPs taking an afternoon nap on the Commons benches?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/9100823/House-of-Commons-bar-brawls-When-drinks-are-half-price-its-easy-for-MPs-to-get-half-cut.html

[sandyRoe]

If a chap can't have a glass of wine to round off a night at the opera without the risk of chavs and oiks starting trouble it's surely time alcohol was priced to put it out of their reach.

[sunny-dave]

Quite so Mr Roe

Thank you for the foie gras and truffles your carriage dropped off on the way back from Fortnum's - I'll get my man to drop a case of Krug off later ...

[LazyGun]

There have been many studies on the social harms of cheap alcohol, and one imagines that DC is attempting to summarise the findings. What we don't know is if the figures he quotes are supported by studies when looking specifically at a pricepoint of 40p.

I think medical professionals and others would rather a 50p pricepoint.I would have no problem with that, but then I am an infrequent drinker, and what I drink probably costs more than that per unit right now, so such legislation would have no impact on me. From a purely public health perspective, I think a base price per unit would be useful

[anotheoldgit]

sandyRoe

There won't be any chavs and oiks joining my wife and I on our Christmas hotel break.

Champagne £37 per bottle, Wine £18 per bottle and Water £5 per bottle.

[sunny-dave]

I hope you get a free copy of The Guardian every morning at those prices AoG ?

[whiskeryron]

Years ago I watched a sci-fi film about a twin earth being discovered on the other side of the sun. The news that we keep reading about DC is beginning to make me wonder if he actually lives on & represents the other earth. LOL

WR.

[LazyGun]

@WR Would that film be Doppelganger/ Journey to the Far Side of the Sun, or the more recent "Another Earth"? Can vaguely remember the doppelganger film, but I never got around to watching "Another Earth"

[ChuckFickens]

Having just conducted a highly scientific survey into the price of beer (i.e. I just went and bought some) I can conclude that if it had been sold at the minimum prices shown it would mean my beer would have been £1 cheaper in total.

[douglas9401]

Mr Cameron and his senior colleagues all agreed to have secret secure storage surgically implanted in an out of the way yet easily accessible place on heir respective bodies.
The only extra expense to taxpayers are the poly bags and disposable gloves for storage and removal respectively.

[sandyRoe]

AOG, I hope you and Mrs AOG enjoy your Christmas break. The Gambia again this year, is it?

[ludwig]

As long as they still have happy hour (half minimum price ) I don't mind.

[weecalf]

Why does it always come down to money .I would have thought that the way to solve it would be to not allow the people to drink so much in the bars .it would take a bit of thinking about to police it but why should a person who likes to go to the pub for a quiet sociable drink have to pay more because others cant hold their drink

[Gromit]

Just got in from paying more that 40p a drink and sandys post made me guffaw out loud...

// AOG, I hope you and Mrs AOG enjoy your Christmas break. The Gambia again this year, is it? //

:-)