Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Misuse launches 'manifesto'

The All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Misuse has today launched its manifesto which in its forward states "is not designed to end or curtail people's enjoyment of alcohol - many people enjoy alcohol responsibly and in moderation. Instead it sets out some of the key points that the APPG believe should form the foundation of a future government's Alcohol Strategy and deal with the type of alcohol misuse which puts strain on our public services and ends lives all too prematurely. We accept that not everyone will agree with our proposals, but by publishing what we believe would be welcome policies for any future government to adopt in tackling this issue, we hope to inform and continue the debate on alcohol now and in the future".

Proposals include the reduction in the drink drive limit initially for drivers under 21 and the introduction of public health as a fifth licensing objective.

The headline summary of the proposals follows:

1. Make reducing alcohol harms the responsibility of a single government minister with clear accountability
2. Introduce a minimum unit price for alcoholic drinks
3. Introduce public health as a fifth licensing objective, enabling local authorities to make licensing decisions based on local population health need and the density of existing outlets
4. Strengthen regulation of alcohol marketing to protect children and young people
5. Increase funding for treatment and raise access levels from 6% to 15% of problem drinkers
6. Commissioners should prioritise the delivery of Identification and Brief Advice. Identification and Brief Advice should be delivered in a wide range of different settings including health care, involving GPs routinely asking questions, and in-workplace programmes
7. Include a health warning on all alcohol labels and deliver a government-funded national public awareness campaign on alcohol-related health issues
8. For all social workers, midwives and healthcare professionals, introduce mandatory training on parental substance misuse, foetal alcohol syndrome disorder and alcohol-related domestic violence
9. Reduce the blood alcohol limit for driving in England and Wales to 50mg/100ml, starting with drivers under the age of 21
10. Introduce the widespread use of sobriety orders to break the cycle of alcohol and crime, antisocial behaviour and domestic violence

The full manifesto can be found here: 'All Party Parliamentary Group on Alcohol Misuse MANIFESTO 2015'