The Trust has joined forces with other leading health charities to urge the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, the new Home Secretary, to bring in Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) in England. Scotland introduced MUP on 1 May 2018. The Republic of Ireland will implement it in the summer and Wales in 2019. The Trust believes that England cannot afford to be left behind – and should make plans now so that it can be implemented as soon as the evaluation from Scotland is available.
Mr Javid was appointed Home Secretary on 30 April 2018, following Amber Rudd’s departure after the Windrush issue. When Economic Secretary to the Treasury, he was responsible for the ‘penny off the pint’ announced in the 2013 budget – the first reduction in beer duty since 1959. Javid responded to several questions on MUP and alcohol duty in Parliament when he was the responsible Treasury Minister. Responding to an oral question in 2012, he said he was hoping MUP would “make a difference to pubs”.
You can read the full letter here