Scottish government is forced to consider alternatives to minimum alcohol price

The Scottish government will have to consider alternatives to its proposed minimum price on a unit of alcohol after an all party summit failed to reach agreement on proposed alcohol legislation earlier this week.

The Scottish government is proposing a minimum price on a unit of alcohol as the most effective way to tackle the country’s problem drinking, but the opposition parties, who together have a majority, are opposed to it.

At the meeting at Holyrood the health secretary, Nicola Sturgeon, suggested a compromise to the proposed Alcohol Bill by offering to insert a “sunset clause” into the legislation. This would allow minimum pricing …