Dame Vera Baird QC welcomes Supreme Court ruling on the Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol
15th November 2017
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Dame Vera Baird QC, welcomes Supreme Court ruling on the Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol
Police and Crime Commissioner for Northumbria Dame Vera Baird QC said:
“Misuse of alcohol can have a crippling impact on families and has a ripple effect into our wider communities – it is frequently at the heart of issues including domestic abuse and anti-social behaviour.
“I’m therefore disappointed at the decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the alcohol industry’s challenge to the Scottish Government around minimum unit pricing (MUP).
“This would have been a unique opportunity for the government to improve the health of our communities, enhance the life chances of our children and help reverse the damage done to our economy.
“I will continue to lobby and challenge the UK Government. It is high time we saw an end of cheap alcohol sales and introduce targeted measures to address the cheapest, high-strength drinks associated with the most acute alcohol harm.
“In Northumbria we’ve rolled out a number of initiatives to cope with the ill-effects of alcohol on a night out. Police officers, door staff and Street Pastors have all completed vulnerability training and The safe haven vans, run With North East Ambulance Service, provide literally a haven for people who need support in the city centre
“Let’s use Alcohol Awareness Week to shine a light on this issue and ensure our own Government does the right thing.”
Connect with us on:
