Barron urges booze price control: VOTE

Rother Valley MP Kevin Barron spoke out in the wake of the Health Select Committee's report into the issue, insisting that a minimum price per unit should be introduced.

Mr Barron, who chairs the committee, said that the change was needed after it emerged that one unit of alcohol could be bought for as little as 9p.

Similar plans put forward by Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson last year were rejected by Gordon Brown, who said that they would be unfair on moderate drinkers.

But Mr Barron described the current situation as a "massive problem only getting worse."

He added: "What were once old men's diseases, like cirrhosis of the liver, are now being seen increasingly in young people.

"The facts about alcohol misuse are shocking. Successive governments have failed to tackle the problem and it is now time for bold government.

"Even small reductions in the number of people misusing alcohol could save the NHS millions."

It is estimated that alcohol abuse in England and Wales kills 40,000 people and costs the economy £55 billion every year.

The select committee's report concluded that minimum pricing of 50p per unit of alcohol could save more than 3,000 lives in England.

And Mr Barron believes that the proposals would not only save lives but would help businesses.

"As the report points out, it will also help traditional pubs in their battle against cut-price supermarket offers," he said.

The report accused ministers of paying more attention to the drinks industry's views than those of health experts.

The MP also criticised ineffective campaigns to change behaviour, adding: "When you walk into a shop these days it's a case of trying not to trip over all the alcohol promotions you see.

"If I had a message for my constituents in Rotherham it would be drink responsibly and the recommended amounts per day.