Minimum pricing: take two

They don't give up easily. On 31 October 2011 the Scottish Government published its bill on a minimum unit price for alcohol. The bill looks to set a minimum price for a unit of alcohol as a condition of the licence. It also sets the formula for calculating the minimum price (based on the strength of the alcohol, the volume of the alcohol and a price per unit of alcohol).

The Scottish National Party (SNP) failed to push through a similar proposal in May this year after it was rejected by Members of Parliament, but the party's victory in the Scottish election has allowed them to put it back on their agenda.

At this stage, the Scottish Government has not proposed a unit price.

When it first launched its minimum pricing initiative, designed to target own brand vodka, strong cider and basic lagers, the SNP proposed setting the minimum price at GBP 0.45 per unit.

That would have resulted in an own-brand bottle of vodka increasing in price from GBP 8.35 to GBP 11.85; a two-litre bottle of cider going up from GBP 1.20 to GBP 3.75; and the cost of a bottle of wine moving from GBP 3.75 to GBP 4.20, it was reported.

According to the BBC, a unit figure will be suggested in the new year after research by the University of Sheffield, which is re-running its minimum price modelling to produce the most up-to-date data.

Minimum pricing on alcohol is unlikely to reduce alcohol misuse, is probably illegal and threatens one of Scotland’s key industries. That is the Scotch Whisky Association’s (SWA) view on the controversial policy.

The drinks industry is likely to launch court action against the bill.