Yesterday (14 December), IAS joined leading health experts in writing a letter to the Daily Telegraph to ask the Coalition Government to tackle the problem of cheap alcohol. The letter came ahead of a debate in Westminster Hall, called by Dr Sarah Wollaston MP, on alcohol taxation.
Signed by 22 organisations and individuals, including the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing, the letter called for stronger pricing policies to put an end to cheap drink sold at “pocket-money prices”.
Prime Minister, David Cameron, said, in Prime Minister’s Question Time:
“I have no doubt in my mind that very low cost alcohol is part of the problem in our town centres… I note very carefully the letter that’s in the papers this morning from a whole set of people with great expertise about this and we’re looking very carefully at that issue.”
To see a copy of the letter click here.
To see a copy of the corresponding front-page news story in the Telegraph, click here.