Minimum Unit Pricing

– in the Scottish Parliament at on 10 June 2021.

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Photo of Jackson Carlaw Jackson Carlaw Conservative

8. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the research led by Newcastle University and published in The Lancet into outcomes arising from minimum unit pricing. (S6O-00024)

Photo of Maree Todd Maree Todd Scottish National Party

I welcome the findings of the research led by Newcastle University, which conclude that minimum unit pricing is an effective policy option to reduce off-trade purchases of alcohol. That is consistent with the findings of the comprehensive evaluation that is being led by Public Health Scotland.

We have always believed that the policy would reduce alcohol sales, and we have early encouraging signs that that is now feeding through to reduced harms. Alcohol-specific deaths for 2019 were 10 per cent less than in the previous year—a notable reduction that has happened on only a handful of occasions since 1979.

I understand that the member has been keen to see positive results from the introduction of minimum unit pricing and I trust that he welcomes the study’s findings.

Photo of Jackson Carlaw Jackson Carlaw Conservative

I can confirm to the minister that they are welcome. Obviously, they vindicate the decision of those of us who supported the policy from its inception. However, there is one caveat in the research that is a cause for concern, which has been reported in The Scotsman and elsewhere. The exception to the reduction of sales is that those in high-purchasing, low-income homes do not seem to have changed their habits. Professor Eileen Kaner from Newcastle University, who is one of the study’s authors and is also a director of applied research collaboration, said:

“it is a concern ... that ... households did not adjust their buying habits, and spending simply increased as a result of the MUP policy.”

It was always a concern that low-income households would simply increase their spend on alcohol from fixed incomes at the expense of other things and that there would be considerable consequential long-term harms. What is the Scottish Government’s response to that? Can anything more be done? Does the Government intend to review the level of minimum unit pricing in the near future?

Photo of Maree Todd Maree Todd Scottish National Party

Minimum unit pricing targets those who drink most and it impacts all income groups. Those who drink most will spend most on alcohol. The study shows that minimum unit pricing was well targeted at those who purchased most alcohol.

It is absolutely correct to say that low-income households that purchased high amounts of alcohol did not seem to reduce the amount of alcohol that they purchased and their expenditure on alcohol increased. However, it was not the same for the next lowest income group. Low-income households that purchased only small amounts of alcohol did not increase their expenditure when minimum unit pricing was introduced.

There will be a thorough evaluation of minimum unit pricing as we look to make a decision. As members know, there is a sunset clause in the legislation. We will continue with the legislation only if the Parliament votes for it. I confirm that we will be looking at the level of pricing for each unit between now and when that vote occurs.