Government to Introduce Minimum Price for Alcohol in England and Wales

23 March 2012

Following the government announcement of plans to introduce a minimum price for alcohol in England and Wales, Colin Neill, chief executive of Pubs of Ulster said:

“We fully welcome and support the plans to introduce a minimum price per unit of alcohol in England and Wales and are greatly encouraged that decisive steps are now being taken across the UK to address the issue of alcohol misuse and abuse.

“Pubs of Ulster has been at the forefront of calls for minimum pricing for a number of years and has been working closely with Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland and Health Minister Edwin Poots to develop a model that is most appropriate for Northern Ireland.  As a result, Northern Ireland is now leading the rest of the UK and Ireland on the issue.  In addition, Northern Ireland is also leading the way on banning irresponsible drinks promotions through the current live consultation and Pubs of Ulster’s industry code of practice.

“Recent tragic events in Northern Ireland have highlighted the immediate need for a responsible approach to the sale and consumption of alcohol and whilst we are making progress, more still needs to be done.  We hope that this latest development in England and Wales will help drive things forward in Northern Ireland and see minimum pricing introduced in the very near future.”