Whether it considers that the increase in alcohol duty in the UK Budget 2009 was sufficient was sufficient to meet the Scottish Government’…

The Scottish Government''s overall alcohol policy objective is to change Scotland''s relationship with alcohol, and our Framework for Action (Bib. number 47805) sets out a series of measures to work towards achieving this. Some are specific legislative measures designed to effect change in the short-term and others focus on creating cultural change over a much longer period. There is strong and consistent evidence linking the price of alcohol to the demand for alcohol
- increasing the price of alcohol reduces consumption and alcohol-related harm. That is why minimum pricing is one of the measures we are proposing to introduce. The increase in alcohol duty in the UK Budget 2009 is a 2% rise in all duty rates for alcohol, which maintains the position whereby, for instance, Scotch whisky is taxed unfairly compared to other alcohol products. A policy of minimum pricing targets price increases at drinks that are sold cheaply relative to their alcohol content, and cheaper alcoholic drinks tend to be bought more by harmful and hazardous drinkers than moderate drinkers. Studies show that such drinks are also attractive to young people.