Minimum alcohol price plan rejected by PM

Plans designed to cut binge drinking by placing a minimum price on alcohol have been rejected by Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Proposals to price alcohol at a minimum of 50p per unit were put forward alongside Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson's Annual Report, and represent an attempt to target young drinkers and excessive drinkers, who tend to buy cheaper alcohol.

The idea is that this would lead to a reduction in what Sir Liam terms "passive drinking" - the social damage resulting from excessive alcohol consumption.

Under the plans, a four-pack of beer would cost at least £4, while bottles of wine that currently cost less than £4 would be likely to rise to at least £4.50.

The changes would cost a moderate drinker perhaps an extra £1 a month, but would hit heavy users with a rise of around £13, according to Department of Health figures.

However, Mr Brown said he did not want the "responsible, sensible majority of moderate drinkers to have to pay more or suffer as a result of the excesses of a small minority".

Dr Petra Meier, who conducted the study on which Sir Liam's call was based, told Radio Four's Today Programme that the policy would result in a year-on-year reduction in deaths by alcohol of 3,400, and would also save on 100,000 annual hospital admissions and 300,000 days off work.

It is also claimed that it would save the Government £12 billion over a ten-year period.

"Minimum pricing has got some interesting features," she added.

"One of them is that it only targets cheap alcohol, rather than alcohol across the board, and cheap alcohol is preferred by young people and harmful drinkers.

"So what you get is a slightly more targeted approach to raising alcohol prices - targeted just at the very cheap alcohol which at the moment is of special concern."

IMAGE Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire