Meetings

NDM6718 Neil Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the problems caused by the harmful consumption of alcohol and the damaging impact that substance misuse has on families and communities.

2. Believes that:

a) the Welsh Government proposal for minimum unit pricing of alcohol will have a detrimental financial impact on the poorest people in society; and 

b) the suggested value of around 50 pence per alcoholic unit will fail to make any substantial change to the quantity of alcohol consumed by those who habitually drink alcohol in large quantities.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to abandon the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill and do more to tackle alcohol misuse without resorting to minimum unit pricing.

Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Delete all after point 1 and replace with:

Supports the general principles of the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill.

Regrets the adverse impact that the Bill may have on the budgets of households on low incomes and that it may lead to the substitution of alcohol for illicit substances.

Supports amending the Bill, as recommended by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, in order to produce an evaluation report that makes reference to the impacts of minimum pricing by reference to age group, gender and socio-economic status, substitution behaviour, domestic violence, impact on support services and the impact on alcohol retailers.

[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be de-selected]

Amendment 2. Julie James (Swansea West)

Delete all after point 1 and replace with:

Notes the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill which is currently being scrutinised by the National Assembly.

Notes a proposed minimum unit price for alcohol is only one of the Welsh Government’s measures to tackle the harms associated with harmful and hazardous alcohol use in Wales.

Notes the £50m package of support for people with alcohol and substance use problems in Wales every year.

[If amendment 2 is agreed, amendment 3 will be de-selected]

Amendment 3. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Delete all after point 1 and replace with:

Notes that public health measures require the support of the public to be successful and that, to achieve this, the minimum price needs to be a set a level that is underpinned by robust research that can demonstrate the public health impacts, and recognises the need to avoid disproportionately affecting moderate drinkers on lower incomes.

Calls on the Welsh Government to accompany the legislation with an extensive communications campaign that explains the aims and purpose of the legislation, including steps moderate drinkers can take to minimise the financial impact on themselves, for example through reducing consumption overall or choosing drinks with lower alcohol content; both of which would bring health benefits.

Recognises the potential benefits of minimum unit alcohol pricing for pubs.

The item started at 18.05

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM6718 Neil Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the problems caused by the harmful consumption of alcohol and the damaging impact that substance misuse has on families and communities.

2. Believes that:

a) the Welsh Government proposal for minimum unit pricing of alcohol will have a detrimental financial impact on the poorest people in society; and 

b) the suggested value of around 50 pence per alcoholic unit will fail to make any substantial change to the quantity of alcohol consumed by those who habitually drink alcohol in large quantities.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to abandon the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill and do more to tackle alcohol misuse without resorting to minimum unit pricing.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
5	0	44	49

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Delete all after point 1 and replace with:

Supports the general principles of the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill.

Regrets the adverse impact that the Bill may have on the budgets of households on low incomes and that it may lead to the substitution of alcohol for illicit substances.

Supports amending the Bill, as recommended by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, in order to produce an evaluation report that makes reference to the impacts of minimum pricing by reference to age group, gender and socio-economic status, substitution behaviour, domestic violence, impact on support services and the impact on alcohol retailers.

[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be de-selected]

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
11	0	38	49

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2. Julie James (Swansea West)

Delete all after point 1 and replace with:

Notes the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill which is currently being scrutinised by the National Assembly.

Notes a proposed minimum unit price for alcohol is only one of the Welsh Government’s measures to tackle the harms associated with harmful and hazardous alcohol use in Wales.

Notes the £50m package of support for people with alcohol and substance use problems in Wales every year.

[If amendment 2 is agreed, amendment 3 will be de-selected]

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
34	0	15	49

Amendment 2 was agreed.

As amendment 2 was agreed, amendment 3 was de-selected.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM6718 Neil Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the problems caused by the harmful consumption of alcohol and the damaging impact that substance misuse has on families and communities.

2.Notes the Public Health (Minimum Price for Alcohol) (Wales) Bill which is currently being scrutinised by the National Assembly.

3.Notes a proposed minimum unit price for alcohol is only one of the Welsh Government’s measures to tackle the harms associated with harmful and hazardous alcohol use in Wales.

4.Notes the £50m package of support for people with alcohol and substance use problems in Wales every year.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
36	8	5	49

The motion as amended was agreed.