Drinking culture needs to change - Finnie (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Liberal Democrats)

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Liberal Democrats <Charles.Cavaye@talktalk.net>

Drinking culture needs to change - Finnie

June 10, 2010 5:10 PM
Originally published by Scottish Liberal Democrats

Commenting after voting for the general principles of the Alcohol (Scotland) Bill, Liberal Democrat Health spokesperson Ross Finnie MSP said:

"Scotland's drinking culture needs to change and there needs to be a raft of measures that are effective in creating that change.

"However, the Scottish Government has failed to make the case for minimum pricing. The powerful Health Committee has demanded more evidence, some of which it is yet to receive. The SNP still refuse to confirm what the minimum price per unit will be. We don't know if minimum pricing is legal.

"The Health Secretary and the SNP Government are solely responsible for the pickle the Bill is in.

"The Conservative amendment claiming that there is no evidence is, therefore, not credible and we cannot support it.

"We support the public health purpose of the Alcohol Bill and will not block it at Stage 1. But the Scottish Government will need to address the serious and unresolved issues raised by the Parliament's Health Committee before it progresses further."