Law Society of Scotland: Minimum Alcohol Price Illegal!
Sensible drinkers and booze hounds alike may be sharing a relieved tipple north of the border (for the time being anyway). The Law Society of Scotland says that the Scottish government’s proposed minimum pricing for alcohol may be illegal. Its reasoning is likely to ruffle some Nationalist feathers however, as it believes that fixing a minimum price for a unit of alcohol may be reserved to Westminster and therefore beyond the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament. The crux of …
Sensible drinkers and booze hounds alike may be sharing a relieved tipple north of the border (for the time being anyway). The Law Society of Scotland says that the Scottish government’s proposed minimum pricing for alcohol may be illegal. Its reasoning is likely to ruffle some Nationalist feathers however, as it believes that fixing a minimum price for a unit of alcohol may be reserved to Westminster and therefore beyond the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament.
The crux of the argument comes down to whether the move would come under the sale of goods to consumers or licensing. Despite the opinion of the Law Society, the Scottish government maintains, that its own legal advice from its lawyers is that its ministers do have the power to make changes.
Even if the proposals somehow overcome that hurdle, last Friday, the Scotland Edition of The Times revealed that Lovell’s EU law experts concluded in a legal opinion for a drinks company that minimum pricing is almost certain to breach European competition law.
So happy hour’s not over just yet for opponents of the booze crackdown…
March 19, 2009
bru for me please
March 19, 2009
filth but good for hangovers
March 19, 2009
would like to see Alex Salmonds face when he got news that Scotland’s own law society declared ‘captain we doon’t have the power’
March 19, 2009
Whatever the legals, there seems to be a political piss-up arising over this – SMPs want it, Scotts don’t, English Medical Chief wants it but puritanical Scottish PM doesn’t. Yes the world is a crazy place.
They should all get down to the, pub get pissed and discuss until resolved.
March 19, 2009
I think the Europeans like the fact they can deride the UK over its drinking.
Except when we do it over there of course.