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TOP STORY
Legislation overkill
is an alcohol killjoy
Proposed new government legislation has met with anger from the drinks trade,
who claim it is an unnecessary addition to the existing regulatory burden – and
may even lead to consumers losing their enjoyment of alcohol. By Jane Parkinson
WHILE THE UK government of things, the government’s combat alcohol abuse (which
played a critical role in attempting suggestions may seem prudent, you
THIS WOULD BE
included raising the legal drinking
to save its economy last month, could even argue, necessary. The age to 21 even though a licensee
simmering beneath the surface government estimates that more
LEGISLATION LIKE
application age is that of 18), now
has been another government than 10 million adults are regularly
WE’VE NEVER
has to fight the industry’s corner in
initiative – one that aims to drinking at levels that exceed England too.
tackle alcohol abuse and alcohol- government guidelines and 6% of SEEN BEFORE AND If the government’s proposals
related illnesses. all hospital admissions are alcohol-
WOULD INVOLVE A
went ahead as this document
Since June 2007, a fundamental related. Moreover, according to the suggests, “This would be
drive to get to grips with alcohol government’s report, the total cost
HUGE LEVEL OF
legislation like we’ve never seen
issues in England has been of alcohol-related problems ranges
channelled through governmental from £17.7 billion to £25.1bn a
BUREAUCRACY
before and would involve a huge
level of bureaucracy,” he said.
project Safe, Sensible and Social. year. And of this, the cost to the The frustration for the WSTA
The scheme aimed to develop NHS is £2.7bn per year. is the report’s neglect of some
an appropriate response to However, despite the key facts regarding alcohol
the findings of an independent government’s concerns, the consumption in the UK. These
review by Sheffield University concerns of the alcohol industry are include: average alcohol
which concluded there was arguably even greater. If certain consumption falling; the majority
“evidence of links between price, proposals are implemented in the of people drinking responsibly
particularly for heavy drinkers, way the government proposes, with chain from producers to licensed with a fall in numbers of those
alcohol consumption and a souped-up version of current retailers, has produced its own drinking over the recommended
medical impacts”. legislation, an over-regulated report, the 42-paged White guidelines between 2000 and
As part of the scheme, the approach could turn the public Document on Enforcement. WSTA 2006; the number of underage
government’s latest proposal dry. Inevitably, this could spell the chief executive Jeremy Beadles people drinking in decline; and
document, which relates to revised end of certain sectors of the said: “Our response has been firm the number of people binge
alcohol legislation in England, alcohol industry, an industry but fair. The key aspects that we drinking also in decline.
reached its deadline for responses on which the UK public have identified are where there are
from health organisations, the spends a valuable £41.9bn (NHS serious flaws in the response it has Enforce better, not more
public and the alcohol industry Information Centre). put together.” Despite these encouraging figures,
on 14 October 2008. And as Beadles, who only a few weeks the WSTA agrees that alcohol
the deadline loomed, angry The industry’s reaction earlier at the drinks business forum, legislation needs to be addressed.
responses poured in from the In response to the proposals, the The Future of The Wine Business, However, another major frustration
alcohol industry. Wine & Spirit Trade Association, expressed his misery at some of the lies in the government’s inability to
Why is the trade up in arms over the body which represents the incredulous proposals of the recognise that it would make more
the proposals? On the face whole of the wine and spirit supply Scottish parliament in order to sense putting energy into enforcing
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