Chamber and committees

Good morning, everybody. I am interested in how we compare with other countries that have introduced minimum unit pricing. I know that Canada, Wales and Ireland have done so. I have in front of me a World Health Organization report that talks about how we are reducing alcohol deaths by introducing minimum unit pricing.

What work has Public Health Scotland done to look at other countries? Canada introduced MUP in 2014. Is there something that we can learn from other people?

Good morning, panel. I am interested in the secure care standards and pathways. I have just read that there are 44 standards that describe care that should be delivered with dignity, compassion, sensitivity and respect and in a person-centred way, in the sense that children make their decisions but with the involvement of everybody in the team. How do the regulations intersect with the secure care pathway and standards, and should the standards be referenced in the regulations?

We talk a lot about helping to deliver the aims of the Promise. How does that align with what is being proposed for the work at Foxgrove? That work is in addition to the secure care pathway, and it is also delivering the outcomes of the Promise.

I will make a short comment. The regulations introduce a brand new facility for Scotland. It will be the only specialist adolescent in-patient service in Scotland, and I look forward to its progress. Because it is a completely new facility, I would be interested in the committee continuing to get further information by correspondence or face to face as the matter progresses so that we can inquire about operational issues and the facility’s effectiveness.

Conversely, if I want to get my shopping delivered to Ecclefechan fae Asda in Carlisle, there would be a price for delivery of the groceries, as well.

So, it doesnae make economic sense to shop across the border, especially since, as I have just said, the price of alcohol in Hawick is the same as the price in Berwick. I guess that debunking that booze-cruising myth is something that we should be doing.

Foxgrove is intended to be a medium-secure care facility. Is that right?

I have a final question. Foxgrove is aimed at young people between the ages of 12 and 18. We need to make sure that the care is age appropriate, so that we are not just transferring care from an adult facility and lifting and shifting to deliver and provide for young people. Will the care be targeted at the specific age of the young person?

I have a quick supplementary question. We went into lockdown on 23 March 2020, just two years after the policy was introduced. What effect did the pandemic have on your research and on alcohol consumption? Tara Shivaji mentioned women in response to Tess White’s question. I am interested in that area, too, but we have not talked about the pandemic. Did that have an impact on your research on alcohol consumption?

I know that there is a lot of work going on regarding sales, marketing and advertising. I am interested in following what is being done in Ireland and the evidence for segregating sales.

I want to pick up on what Clare said about cross-border purchasing, because there needs to be some myth busting and debunking of the idea that folk are driving fae Ecclefechan tae Carlisle to pick up whatever alcohol they want. If they did that, they would have to buy 33 bottles of vodka to save the five quid on petrol that it costs to go the 20 miles fae Ecclefechan tae Carlisle. Also, my understanding is that the price of alcohol is the same in Hawick and Berwick, so if you live in Coldstream you would be crossing the border to go for your shopping anyway. There are not the booze cruises that keep being touted.

I would be interested to hear about the research that is debunking the myths about cross-border purchases. Can you tell us about that?