TOPIC:

"johnrm":28rr7irc wrote: It won't affect me.
I won't be buying cheap swill, nor will I be selling it.[/quote:28rr7irc]

You're right, minimum pricing is designed so that it really only affects those who buy at the value end of the market; i.e. the poor.

I wonder will Leo and the neo-Prohibitionists take any notice of this

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-an...vealed-a6725441.html">www.independent.co.uk/life-style ... 25441.html

Text of the full bill[/url:b2b9waam] released today. What jumped out at me was section 10(12):

[quote:b2b9waam]In this section, “sell” does not include
—
(a)sell by wholesale, or
(b)distribute free of charge.[/quote:b2b9waam]

So, pubs will still be allowed to give out free samples, which was a fairly big worry in this thread at the start. Good to see that something Beoir submitted to the government was listened to.

Also, people buying direct from breweries (I think it's a minimum of 3 x 24 33cl bottle slabs) won't be covered by the legislation. Although, no reason to think breweries won't raise these prices for individual purchasers given the artificial floor in retail price. They won't want to be hugely undercutting their retailers, either.

That's good. If anyone missed it (announced on twitter), I gave a response on the Last Word (Today FM) on the day it was announced.

You can listen here[/url:1d8x9nf7]. I come in at 41:30 but the slot starts at 40 minutes if you want to hear listener comments to Leo's slot on the show.

&amp;quot;Paz-CCFC&amp;quot;:3nhyw9q4 wrote: So, pubs will still be allowed to give out free samples, which was a fairly big worry in this thread at the start. Good to see that something Beoir submitted to the government was listened to.[/quote:3nhyw9q4]I was pleased to see that too. And somebody else must have twigged that the concept of wholesale would also be a problem under the original proposal.

So, statutory notices in pubs declaring that drinking is bad for you. I'd imagine the LVA/VFI will have a bit to say when they consult on how that's going to look.

The calorific value to be printed on every bottle of beer in a country where many importers don't even bother with the ABV? Can't see that happening.

The enforcing body for all of this is going to be the HSE, but didn't Leo announce today he wants to split the HSE up into regional boards again?

And to deal with The Scottish Problem, we have this form of words throughout:
[quote:3nhyw9q4]When making regulations the Minister shall take into account any expert research available to him or her on the effectiveness of including the matters referred to and shall have regard to—
(a) the rate of alcohol consumption,
(b) patterns of alcohol consumption,
(c) health-related risks caused by alcohol consumption,
(d) other societal harm caused by alcohol consumption, and
(e) such other matters as he or she considers appropriate.[/quote:3nhyw9q4]
Endless FOI fun there.

I am guessing that the sunrise clause didn't make it in.