Ban booze at council functions

Tuesday 31 August 2010

Ban booze at council functions

A booze ban should be slapped on all government and council functions to help tackle Scotland’s drink problem.

The claim comes in a report by Labour’s Alcohol Commission which wants politicians and publicly funded organisations to set an example at official receptions. The move could also save cash.

The commission, set up in response to the Scottish Government’s plan to introduce minimum pricing, said there was no single solution to deal with the problems associated with alcohol, but rejected minimum unit pricing in favour of increasing tax. The report, published today in Glasgow, says that would mean any tax or VAT rise would benefit the government and not drinks firms or retailers. The report states: “Public bodies, including central and local government and the voluntary sector, should be called upon to adopt policies of providing only non- alcoholic drink at official functions at their own or other premises.” A ban on high caffeine content, another Labour policy, is also backed in the report. Labour gave the idea a cautious welcome. A party source said: “The Commission was clear about the need for cultural change and believed the public sector had a leadership role to play. While ultimately this is a matter for public bodies themselves, there may be merit in this suggestion, particularly in the context of tightening budgets.” Professor Sally Brown, who chaired the commission, said: “We need leadership that recognises the problem and is prepared to take comprehensive steps.” The main pricing policy would make it illegal to sell booze below the cost of producing it, plus VAT and alcohol duty. Labour’s health spokeswoman, Jackie Baillie said: “It is now time for the SNP to move on from their obsession with minimum unit pricing.”

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