This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/7961567.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Ministers shift over drink plan | Ministers shift over drink plan |
| (41 minutes later) | |
| The Scottish Government's controversial plans to tackle alcohol abuse are set to be brought forward in separate legislation. | The Scottish Government's controversial plans to tackle alcohol abuse are set to be brought forward in separate legislation. |
| The proposals, including minimum pricing, will be part of an entirely new health bill instead of being tacked onto existing legislation. | |
| This will allow increased scrutiny at Holyrood and delay any possible implementation until next year. | This will allow increased scrutiny at Holyrood and delay any possible implementation until next year. |
| Opposition parties have expressed concern at aspects of the proposals. | Opposition parties have expressed concern at aspects of the proposals. |
| The minority Holyrood government, which made the decision after coming under pressure from opposition parties, also wants to ban discount deals on alcohol and restrict the display and marketing of drink to specific areas within off-sales premises. | |
| 'Root causes' | |
| The measures also include a "social responsibility fee" on some alcohol retailers, to help deal with the costs of the adverse consequences of alcohol. | |
| They were initially due to have been brought forward as part of the wide-ranging Criminal Justice and Licensing Bill. | |
| Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "Scotland's alcohol misuse problem is estimated to cost our country at least £2.25bn per year in extra services and lost productivity, and professionals are agreed the threat posed to our national health from current levels of consumption is very great. | |
| "Alcohol-related hospital admissions and deaths have increased markedly in recent years and this government has already set out our framework for addressing the root causes behind these statistics." |