UPDATE: 6.41pm

PLANS for a new law to prevent alcohol being sold for less than 50p per unit have been published by the Welsh Government.

Research commissioned by Welsh Government in December, 2014 revealed that a minimum unit price could save 50 lives a year, prevent 1,400 hospital admission, and save around £882 million in the next 20 years in Wales.

According to the study by Sheffield University, targeting these cheap high energy drinks would reduce crime by 3,700 offences per year; cut workplace absences by 10,000 days; and reduce total alcohol consumption by four percent.

Presenting the draft Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill, the deputy minister for health, Vaughan Gething, said: “Evidence shows that introducing minimum unit price of 50p per unit would be effective in reducing alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harms and the costs associated with those harms.

“It will save lives, reduce rates of crime, help ensure valuable NHS resources are used wisely and help businesses by reducing absence from the workplace.

“This is a particularly well-targeted measure as it will only have a small impact on moderate drinkers and have the biggest impact on high-risk drinkers.”

Welsh Government are inviting members of the public to have their say on the draft bill and this consultation will run until December 11.

The Salvation Army in Wales has welcomed the consultation and believes it would be the most effective way of tackling the issue.

Major David Emery, public affairs officer for the Salvation Army in Wales, said: “We see daily the devastating human consequences of alcohol abuse caused by the irresponsibly low price of budget alcohol.

"All the evidence suggests minimum unit pricing is the most effective and targeted policy the Welsh Government can use right now to spearhead its action on alcohol.

"The success of all other policies will be undermined if cheap drink continues to flood the supermarket shelves.

William Graham, Conservative AM for South Wales East who is also in support of the bill, said: “It’s a move in the right direction and long overdue.

"It won’t just benefit the community, it will have individual benefits, too. The evidence is there."

Kamlesh Desai, the owner of Baba News in Newport, which has had an alcohol license for three years, has also welcomed the move.

He said: “It’s better for people not to be misbehaving and drinking on the street."

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PLANS for a new law to prevent alcohol being sold for less than 50p per unit have been published by the Welsh Government.

Research commissioned by Welsh Government in December, 2014 revealed that a minimum unit price could save 50 lives a year, prevent 1,400 hospital admissions, and save around £882 million in the next 20 years in Wales.

According to the study by Sheffield University, targeting these cheap high energy drinks would reduce crime by 3,700 offences per year; cut workplace absences by 10,000 days; and reduce total alcohol consumption by four percent.

Presenting the draft Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill, the deputy minister for health, Vaughan Gething, said: “Evidence shows that introducing minimum unit price of 50p per unit would be effective in reducing alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harms and the costs associated with those harms.

“It will save lives, reduce rates of crime, help ensure valuable NHS resources are used wisely and help businesses by reducing absence from the workplace.

“This is a particularly well-targeted measure as it will only have a small impact on moderate drinkers and have the biggest impact on high-risk drinkers.”

Welsh Government are inviting members of the public to have their say on the draft bill and this consultation will run until December 11.

Examples of price change:

Strongbow (4 x 440ml)
Alcohol by volume: 5%
Units: 8.8
Current price: £3.79
Price with increase: £4.40
Price increase: 61p

 

Carlsberg Export (4x440ml)
Alcohol by volume: 4.8%
Units: 8.4
Current price: £3.50
Price with increase: £4.20
Price increase: 70p