AQW 2841/17-22 Written question to the Minister of Health
To ask the Minister of Health for an update on minimum unit pricing on alcohol.
Asked by Paula Bradshaw MLA on 27 February 2020
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 27 February 2020
- Answer due by
- 13 March 2020
- Answered
- 12 March 202014 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Health
- Priority question
- No
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.