Did the last EU alcohol strategy work? Lords question alcohol associations and Home Office officials
As part of its ongoing inquiry into the future EU Alcohol Strategy, the House of Lords Home Affairs, Health and Education EU Sub-Committee will be speaking to Home Office officials and alcohol industry representatives on Wednesday 26 November.
In its first session, at 10.30am, the Committee will question Daniel Greaves, Head of Drugs and Alcohol Unit and Stephen Cummins, Strategy Lead for Alcohol, from the Home Office. It will discuss if and how a new EU Alcohol Strategy could support Member States in addressing alcohol-related crime. Further issues to be discussed include:
- whether the previous Strategy had any effect on domestic law enforcement efforts in relation to alcohol-related crime;
- the proportion of road traffic offences, injuries and deaths that are caused by excess alcohol consumption;
- the cost of excess alcohol consumption with regard to police resources; and
- how new EU alcohol policies should differ from EU drug and tobacco policies.
Following on, at 11:15am, the Committee will hear from:
- Miles Beale, Chief Executive of The Wine and Spirit Trade Association;
- David Frost, Chief Executive of The Scotch Whiskey Association;
- Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of The British Beer and Pub Association; and
- Paul Waterson, Chief Executive of The Scottish Licensed Trade Association.
The Committee will ask the panel for the alcohol industry's opinion of EU alcohol policies, including their views on:
- the advantages and disadvantages of pricing policies and restrictions on the availability of alcohol;
- the relationship between taxation and pricing policies, and whether an EU Strategy should favour one over the other;
- the role of NGOs and other civil society actors in formulating and implementing alcohol policy and
- the involvement of the alcohol industry in the development and implementation of alcohol policies at the national and EU level.
The evidence session will take place at 10.30am, on Wednesday 26 November in Committee Room 3 of the House of Lords.
The sessions will be webcast at www.parliamentlive.tv and are also open to the public. Journalists wishing to attend should go to Parliament's Cromwell Green Entrance and should allow time for security screening.
