2 godzin temu
Ministers in England have been urged to introduce a minimum price for alcohol as Welsh officials announced plans to increase the measure in Wales. Leading alcohol health experts called on the UK Government to take steps to "protect the public" through minimum unit pricing (MUP).
MUPs have already been introduced in Scotland and Wales, setting the lowest price an alcoholic drink can be sold for. Welsh officials launched a consultation on Wednesday to maintain MUP for alcohol in Wales beyond March 2026, raising the unit price from 50p to 65p.
Welsh plans target harmful drinking
The Welsh Government said the number of harmful drinkers could be reduced by nearly 5,000 people as a result of the plans. The move comes as officials in England face pressure to introduce similar measures after health experts warned current plans to tackle problem drinking "are not sufficient to address the scale and complexity of harm".
Academics, medics and charities from around the country have urged ministers to take "ambitious" action to tackle the "scale of the current crisis". The UK Government recently set out plans to improve the health of people in England over the next decade.
Health leaders demand action
In a letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting (Labour), shared with PA, experts said the public "want and deserve" more action to tackle the harms. The letter has been signed by 34 health leaders from leading health organisations including the Alcohol Health Alliance, the Royal College of Physicians, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine.
Experts have called for a series of measures including the introduction of MUP in England, as seen in Scotland and Wales. They also want local authorities given power to regulate hours of sale and online deliveries of alcohol, and advertising regulations for alcohol to be "aligned" with those for foods high in fat, salt and sugar.
Tax changes and funding demands
The health leaders also called for changes to alcohol tax, linking duties to inflation and ending "cider exceptionalism". They demanded more funding and support for local alcohol care teams to tackle the crisis.
The authors conclude: "The public want and deserve action, and we stand ready to work with Government to deliver real progress. By taking meaningful and co-ordinated action now, the burden of alcohol harm can fall significantly within the term of this Government, with visible results for families, the NHS, crime, and the economy."
Government response outlined
The Department of Health and Social Care said it will continue to consider the most effective interventions to reduce alcohol harms. A spokesperson said: "As we shift from sickness to prevention through our 10-Year Health Plan, we will make it mandatory for alcoholic drinks to display health warnings and nutritional information."
The Government has provided an additional £310 million in 2025/26 to improve drug and alcohol treatment services and recovery support in England, on top of the public health grant. A spokesperson for the Portman Group said: "As the alcohol industry regulatory body for marketing, we welcome the chance to work constructively with the Government on the proposals within its 10 year plan to help more consumers make an informed choice and drink moderately."
(PA) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
