21 January 2018: Leading representatives from the health, homelessness, children’s and religious sectors, along with 45 Parliamentarians, have today called for the Westminster government to introduce minimum unit pricing in England without delay.
The call comes in a letter to the Sunday Times. It is reproduced, with all signatories, totalling over 100, below.
—
Sir,
Tomorrow in Parliament the Health and Home Affairs Select Committees will consider the case for minimum unit pricing of alcohol. We urge ministers to implement this measure in England immediately.
Lives will be lost unnecessarily if Westminster delays further on MUP. In Scotland, MUP was delayed by 5 years because of challenges from sections of the alcohol industry. We know from data out today that a similar delay in England could cost 1,148 lives, lead to 182,000 alcohol-related crimes taking place, cost the NHS £326 million and cause a financial loss to society valued at over at least £1 billion.
These numbers will only increase the longer minimum pricing is delayed – and these costs are all entirely avoidable. The government should act now.
Yours sincerely
Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chair, Alcohol Health Alliance UK
Colin Shevills, Director, Balance, the North East Alcohol Office
Katherine Brown, Chief Executive, the Institute of Alcohol Studies
Jeremy Swain, Chief Executive, Thames Reach
Dr Kieran Moriarty, British Society of Gastroenterology
Dr Zul Mirza, Consultant in Emergency Medicine
Professor Jane Dacre, President, Royal College of Physicians
Janet Davies, CEO and General Secretary, Royal College of Nursing
Shirley Cramer CBE, Chief Executive, Royal Society for Public Health
Professor Colin Drummond, Addictions Faculty, Royal College of Psychiatrists
President, Dr Liam Brennan, Royal College of Anaesthetists
Dr Linda Harris, Royal College of General Practitioners, Substance Misuse and Associated Health group
Professor David Galloway, President, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Professor Dame Parveen Kumar, BMA board of science chair
Professor Nick Sheron, Head of Clinical Hepatology, University of Southampton
Professor Linda Bauld, Deputy Director, UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies
Professor Roger Williams, CBE, Director, Institute of Hepatology London
Professor Carrie MacEwen, Chair, Academy of Medical Royal Colleges
Alison Cox, Director for Prevention, Cancer Research UK
Professor Richard Horton, Editor, The Lancet
Dr Dominique Florin, Medical Director, Medical Council on Alcohol
Lt. Colonel David E Kelly, Secretary for Communications, The Salvation Army
Jill Baker, Vice-President of the Methodist Conference
The Revd Kevin Watson, and Mr Alan Yates, Moderators of General Assembly of the United Reformed Church
Matthew Reed, Chief Executive, The Children’s Society
Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green, Former first Children’s Commissioner for England
Ron Hogg, Durham Crime and Victims’ Commissioner
Barry Coppinger, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cleveland
Dame Vera Baird QC, Police and Crime Commissioner, Northumbria
Dr Peter Rice, Chair, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems
Dr Eric Carlin, Director, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems
Alison Douglas, Chief Executive, Alcohol Focus Scotland
Fiona Bruce MP
Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe
Baroness Finlay of Llandaff
Alex Cunningham MP
Dr Caroline Lucas MP
Mary Glindon MP
Rt Hon Frank Field MP
Martyn Day MP
General Lord Ramsbotham GCB CBE
Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP
Rt Hon Caroline Flint MP
Rt Hon Dame Margaret Hodge DBE MP
Professor Sheila Baroness Hollins
The Earl of Listowel
Lord Rennard MBE
Baroness Masham of Ilton
Baroness Watkins of Tavistock
Rt Hon Norman Lamb MP
Rachael Maskell MP
Grahame Morris MP
Lord Shipley OBE
Neil Gray MP
Baroness Hayter
Marie Rimmer CBE MP
Ronnie Campbell MP
Helen Hayes MP
Sandy Martin MP
Paul Flynn MP
Chris Law MP
Gavin Newlands MP
John McNally MP
Douglas Chapman MP
Dr Philippa Whitford MP
Peter Grant MP
Ronnie Cowan MP
Hannah Bardell MP
Chris Stephens MP
Alison Thewliss MP
Deidre Brock MP
Stewart Malcolm McDonald MP
David Linden MP
Drew Hendry MP
Stewart Hosie MP
Carol Monaghan MP
Patricia Gibson MP
Marion Fellows MP
Chris Bryant MP
Prof Frank Murray, Chairman, Alcohol Health Alliance (Ireland)
Nicola Close, Chief Executive, Association of Directors of Public Health
Dr Rupert Suckling, Chair of the Association of Directors of Public Health Yorkshire and the Humber
Rob Poole, Professor of Social Psychiatry, Bangor University
Nigel Bongard, Terry Martin and Debby Peirson, Trustees, Alcohelp
Diane Goslar, patient representative, Royal College of Psychiatrists
Professor John Middleton, President, Faculty of Public Health
Catherine Chiang and Dr Jane Bethea, Co-chairs, Alcohol Special Interest Group, Faculty of Public Health
Justina Murray, Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol & Drugs
Dr Modi Mwatsama, Director of Policy, UK Health Forum
Dr Chris Record, Newcastle University
Graham Beech, Chief Executive, Action on Addiction
Dr Anne De Bono, President, Faculty of Occupational Medicine
Dr Richard Piper, Chief Executive, Alcohol Research UK/Alcohol Concern
Judi Rhys, Chief Executive, British Liver Trust
Professor Jonathan Shepherd, Cardiff University
Professor Matthew Cramp, BASL President
Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain
Caroline Moye, Head of World Cancer Research Fund UK
Deborah Jenkins, Interim CEO, Blenheim CDP
Paul Prosser, Head of Welfare Services, NOAH Enterprise