Booze plan fails to hit the mark

Councillor Rod Blyth . . . measures don’t go far enough

NEW watered-down minimum charges for alcohol do not go far enough, and could fail in their aim to cut drink-related crime and disorder.

The claim came from a disappointed Councillor Rod Blyth, cabinet member for community safety and public protection.

He spoke out in the wake of yesterday’s announcement, which will mean the cost price is defined as duty plus VAT.

Campaigners say the plans will have little impact on cut-price supermarket deals, and will not cut binge drinking.

The move means alcohol can still be bought for around 20-25p a unit, falling far below Oldham council’s hoped-for 50p minimum charge.

Councillor Blyth said: “It’s a start — a move in the right direction — but it doesn’t go far enough. It’s disappointing.”

He said the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), of which Oldham is a member, had carried out research to put a figure on the minimum charge needed to deter binge drinking and over-drinking.

“It involved doctors and other medics, and the licensed trade, and 50p is the figure they settled on,” said Councillor Blyth.

“By introducing that as a minimum charge it would save something like 6,000 lives a year.

“Unlike when drinking in a pub, there are no checks or balances on the amount drunk at home.

“There is a lot of concern about pubs struggling and shutting down across the country.

“One of my ideas — and I have put it in a letter to the Government — is to reduce duty for alcohol sold in pubs, and increase duty for off-sales.”

He added: “A 50p minimum charge wouldn’t affect responsible drinkers, who pay that anyway for a decent bottle of wine or beer, nor pubs which charge more than that anyway.

“It’s aimed at people who go to the supermarket first them go into town drunk — they can get two litres of cider for just over £1.”

AGMA is investigating the legality of local authorities across Greater Manchester introducing their own 50p minimum charge by-law.

Under the government plans announced yesterday, a can of lager will cost at least 38p, and a litre of vodka at least £10.71.

It is seen by campaigners as a retreat from the coalition Government’s pledge to ban the sale of alcohol below cost price, and stops short of setting a minimum price for alcohol itself.

The Campaign for Real Ale has hit out at what it calls the government’s green light for supermarkets to keep selling booze at pocket-money prices.

It wants to see a minimum price of 40p a unit, and said yesterday’s announcement will have virtually no impact on the rock-bottom prices of beer in supermarkets, and will no nothing to alleviate the pressure on pubs where the price of a pint is “rapidly approaching £3.”