Stage 1
The Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament on 31 October 2011. The Health and Sport Committee was designated as lead committee in consideration of the Bill at Stage 1 with a deadline of 9 March 2012 for that Stage.
The main purpose of the Bill is to introduce a minimum price of alcohol below which alcohol must not be sold on licensed premises. The minimum price will be set according to the strength of the alcohol, the volume of the alcohol and the minimum price per unit.
For further information on the Bill and its accompanying documents, please see the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill.
Timetable
The Committee's call for written evidence closed on 12 December 2011. Read the submissions received in response to the call for evidence.
Oral evidence sessions were held on 10, 17, 24 and 31 January 2012. The Committee intends to publish its report by the end of February 2012.
Evidence
The Committee's call for written evidence closed on 12 December 2011.
Read the submissions received in response to the call for evidence.
The evidence received will inform scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 1. All responses will be made available to the Committee.
Responses were requested that would address all or any of the following points in turn—
- The advantages and disadvantages of establishing a minimum alcohol sales price based on a unit of alcohol;
- The level at which such a proposed minimum price should be set and the justification for that level;
- Any other aspects of the Bill.
Oral evidence
The Committee agreed the following programme of oral evidence sessions to take place on 10, 17, 24 and 31 January.
10 January 2012 (morning meeting)
- Professor Anne Ludbrook, Professor of Health Economics, University of Aberdeen;
- Benjamin Williamson, Senior Economist, Centre for Economics and Business Research;
- Dr Evelyn Gillan, Chief Executive, Alcohol Focus Scotland;
- Dr Jan S Gill, Reader at Queen Margaret University;
- Dr Peter Rice, Chair, Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland and Consultant Addictions Psychiatrist, NHS Tayside.
10 January 2012 (evening meeting)
- Professor Timothy Stockwell, University of Victoria, British Columbia.
17 January 2012
- Gavin Hewitt, Chief Executive, Scotch Whisky Association;
- Michael Patten, Global Public Affairs Director, Diageo;
- George Kyle, Head of Sponsorship and PR, Tennent Caledonian Breweries (UK) Limited;
- Bob Price, Director General and Policy Adviser, National Association of Cider Makers;
- Patrick Browne, Chief Executive, Scottish Beer and Pub Association;
- Paul Waterson, Chief Executive, Scottish Licensed Trade Association;
- Emma Reynolds, Government Affairs Director, Tesco;
- David Paterson, Head of Regional Affairs, Asda;
- Kate Higgins, Policy Manager, CHILDREN 1ST;
- Major Dean Logan, Addiction Services Officer, Salvation Army;
- Sarah O’Neill, Director of Policy, Consumer Focus Scotland;
- Andrew Deans, Convener of the Health and Wellbeing Committee, Scottish Youth Parliament.
24 January 2012
- Dr John Holmes, Research Fellow, School of Health and Related Social Research, University of Sheffield;
- Andrew Leicester, Senior Research Economist, Institute for Fiscal Studies;
- Professor Jonathon Chick, Consultant Psychiatrist, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, and Honorary Professor, School of Health Sciences, Queen Margaret University.
31 January 2012
- Law Society of Scotland;
- Nicola Sturgeon MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy.
Report
The Committee intends to publish its report by the end of February 2012.