Scottish Labour has called on the SNP government to prove that its proposal to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol will not be struck down by the courts, by publishing its legal advice.

The call comes as the SNP government published the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill.

Last week, the UK government stated that it believed the introduction of minimum unit pricing was "probably illegal" under European Law. The Law Society of Scotland has previously warned that minimum unit pricing could be challenged in the courts on a raft of different grounds.

Despite repeated calls from Scottish Labour to publish its legal advice the SNP government has refused to do so.

The Bill published today is more narrowly defined than before meaning the Bill cannot be amended to include any alternative or additional measures to minimum unit pricing.

The SNP government has today refused, once again, to name the price at which the minimum unit price would be set, despite saying only a few months ago that it would be set at 45 pence per unit. 

Scottish Labour’s Shadow Public Health Minister Dr Richard Simpson MSP said:

“Scottish Labour is absolutely determined to tackle Scotland’s drink problem, but we do not believe minimum unit pricing is the answer as it will not target problem drinks, will deliver a £140 million annual windfall for big supermarkets without providing a single extra penny for our NHS and big questions still remain over whether these plans will be struck down in the courts.

“Scottish Labour has proposed a whole raft of measures that we believe will help tackle Scotland’s relationship with alcohol, but the SNP’s narrowly-defined Bill – designed to shut down debate – means other proposals cannot even be considered.

“The SNP think minimum unit pricing is some sort of magical silver bullet, but unfortunately no one measure is going to tackle Scotland’s relationship with alcohol.
 
“If the SNP government is serious about tackling alcohol abuse it should drop its dogmatic approach, broaden its Bill so a range of other proposals can be included, explain why it has cut the alcohol treatment budget by over £3 million in real terms and publish its legal advice to prove minimum pricing will not be blocked by the courts.

“This Bill is a lost opportunity, deliberately designed by the SNP to shut down debate on what is one of the most pressing social problems in Scotland today.”

1 November 2011