Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke (NICHS) is extremely disappointed that Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) will not now be introduced in the Assembly during this term. The Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, told the Assembly that the policy was supported by his party (the UUP), Sinn Fein, the Alliance Party and SDLP, but he was unable to get support from the Executive to go forward with legislation.
Neil Johnston, Public Affairs and Policy Manager at NICHS, commented;
“Mike Nesbitt is to be applauded for his leadership in trying to bring forward this legislation. It is extremely disappointing that we are not going to see Minimum Unit Pricing introduced at this time.”
“We all need to do more to promote better public health and take actions that are proven to work. The evidence from Scotland of the benefits of MUP is clear cut and irrefutable.”
“Indeed, MUP has been shown to have a positive impact even at a relatively low rate of 50p. The rate was decided upon in 2014 but due to legal action only brought into force in 2018. It has clearly been eroded by inflation and therefore was raised to 65p in Scotland in 2024. Despite this it has still been effective.”
“I am sure that at a level of 65p we will see even more strong evidence of the success of MUP in Scotland in the coming years and we in Northern Ireland will be left wondering about the lives that might have been saved and the hospitalisations that could have been avoided if only we had followed the evidence and acted.”
“It is crucial to remember that MUP will have no impact whatsoever on the price of drinks in pubs, clubs, hotels and restaurants. The impact on moderate drinkers who purchase alcohol from shops will be negligible. It is literally a measure targeted at those who are drinking excessive amounts of cheap alcohol.”
Northern Ireland Chest Heart & Stroke is committed to seeking to persuade all political parties of the merits of introducing a Minimum Unit Pricing policy for alcohol. The charity will be asking all the parties who are supportive of MUP to commit, via their manifestos for the Assembly elections next year, to introducing MUP in the next Assembly mandate. The charity is also committed to seeking to persuade those who are yet to be convinced about the merits of MUP to reconsider their position.
