AQW 2841/17-22

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 27/02/2020
Answered On Date: 12/03/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on minimum unit pricing on alcohol.

Answer:

The harms caused by the misuse of alcohol are a major public health issue in Northern Ireland. Minimum Unit Pricing for Alcohol has the potential to be a key population-level health measure to reduce these harms and I will give this consideration as part of the development of a new substance misuse strategy for Northern Ireland.

I am also keen to learn from the evidence generated in Scotland, where early evaluation results are now being published on the real world impact of Minimum Unit Pricing for Alcohol legislation since its introduction in 2018, and in due course from Wales also where the measure became law on 02 March 2020.