Wales continues to push for increased powers over the sale of alcohol despite Gordon Brown backing away from plans for minimum pricing. Assembly Government ministers have already said they will press for the introduction of minimum pricing in a bid to tackle the nation's binge-drinking culture. And last night, after the Prime Minister appeared to dismiss calls by England's chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson for a minimum price of 50p per unit to cut consumption, an Assembly Government spokeswoman said it remained committed to tackling alcohol abuse - Wales Online
Michael Turner, chairman of Fuller, Smith & Turner, donned his hat as chairman of the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) yesterday as part of the drinks industry's campaign for a fairer tax regime. Mr Turner teamed up with the heads of four other trade bodies — Ian Jamieson of the Gin and Vodka Association, Fenella Tyler of the National Association of Cider Makers, Paul Walsh of the Scotch Whisky Association, and Christopher Carson of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association — for meetings with Alistair Darling and Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary - The Times
The information commissioner has said pubs with no history of trouble should not be forced to install CCTV cameras. The Information Commissioner's Office is concerned that the Policing and Crime Bill could introduce this as part of mandatory conditions for licensing - BBC
Can you be "lukewarm" about a proposal that would save lives and cut crime? Can you indulge in a philosophical discussion about governments and how far they should interfere with our lives, when people are dying of diseases that could be prevented? Gordon Brown says that he is "lukewarm" on proposals to introduce a minimum pricing strategy to curb alcohol, but he knows, because Sir Liam Donaldson, his Chief Medical Officer, has told him, that the statistics show overwhelmingly that putting up prices would cut the number of alcohol-related deaths - and dramatically at that - The Times
The papers accept the UK has a problem with binge drinking - but they do not agree with the Chief Medical Officer's proposal for a minimum alcohol price. The Independent urges the government to use other levers at its disposal, such as taxation, licensing and the law. The Daily Star says the millions of hard-working, sensible drinkers will be the ones punished. The Times reports Gordon Brown has rejected the idea, quoting a source close to the prime minister - BBC