Will the new alochol measure announced today solve the problem or is it yet another hit on the squeezed taxpayers?

[youngmafbog]

Personally I am beginning to wonder what planet Cameron, Cleg, Osbourne and many of the rest of them are on.
In this particular instance why do they think a minimum price will stop the drunks? It may deter the average 13 year old (who will probably just do another mugging or burglary to pay for it) but I cant see it stopping anyone else. Most people drink responsibly and indeed alcohol rates have been dropping year on year since 2004 (although not sure if that takes account of home brew which is of course more potent and uncontrolled).
Why cant they just use the public drunk laws we have (if they bothered to ensure the fines were paid of course). Why not start fining pubs for continuing to serve drunks, and for those who require treatment why not give them the bill (like the firebrigade will do if you have a chiney fire in an inswept chimney). Probably still would not stop it but it would be a sobering thought for many.

[HowardKennitby]

I agree with AH but I think all governments know that they have no chance of changing attitudes to alcohol so they are all scrabbling around for something that will make even a slight difference.l

[DaisyNonna]

Bright Spark, oh yes! As are the restaurants at the House of Commons. And they moan about being served chips the wrong way.

[DTCwordfan]

Why not make the minimum age 21 and then allow young military etc who have responsible jobs etc buy it but not for folk under 21.

[ludwig]

Gromit // Just a quick way of making extra money.
It will not make any difference to Alcoholism, underage drinking, binge drinking and anti-social drinking. //

So what's the objection then? Things carry on as they were, the p1ssheads aren't inconvenienced, but we make a bit of dosh back to help pay their hospital bills. It's a win win.

The process of trying to educate people out of the culture of binge drinking has been going for years and has had bugger all effect. We might as well try the monetary approach as well. It can hardly make it any worse.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// Just a quick way of making extra money. ///

For whom?

The Supermarkets etc, don't want it, otherwise they would charge the full price now.

And the government???????

Why will it make more money for them? In fact if it does cut down on the sales, won't they also see a fall in their VAT.

[EDDIE51]

It's just a smokescreen to divert attention from the c*ck up they made in the budget over 'granny tax' Will do precisely sweet FA !

[jno]

"The Supermarkets etc, don't want it"

Alas, the day the supermarkets don't want money is still some way off. The accusation is that they use cheap booze as a loss leader - selling it below cost as a way of getting you into the shop where you'll immediately spend more money on other things.

[anotheoldgit]

This is not the answer, it will just increase the costs of the normal drinker.

Been much more sensible for the police to introduce a zero tolerance attitude, towards the binge drinkers and under-age drinkers, if this is the problem.

Years ago there was no such problem, because there was always police officers on the beat, anyone picked up for being drunk and disorderly was quickly swept up and thrown into the 'Black Maria'.

After spending the night in the cells and they were up before the magistrate the following morning and fined, he or she then had the privilege of having their names and addresses published in the local press.

What we see today, is the end product of the general drop in discipline and the overall lack of self respect.

[anotheoldgit]

jno

I was referring to the supermarkets not wanting their sale of cheap booze made illegal, not why the supermarkets sell cut-price booze.

[Haggisdj]

It was suggested they should charge 40p per unit minimum. This means the minimum that can be charged for a pint or can of Guinness is around 72p. Good luck on finding that anywhere lol.

By my reckoning it will be spirits that will be the hardest hit. A 70cl bottle has 28 shots and therefore 28 units. This means that the minimum cost for that bottle will be £11.20... most supermarkets sell cheap vodka, gin, etc. around £7-£8 a bottle so that will rise.