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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 22 December 2024
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Displaying 1019 contributions

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Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Victims and Prisoners Bill

Meeting date: 30 April 2024

Dr. Sandesh Gulhane

I declare an interest as a practising NHS doctor.

Thank you for your statement, minister. Do you know the number of people who are affected in Scotland?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Victims and Prisoners Bill

Meeting date: 30 April 2024

Dr. Sandesh Gulhane

Is the compensation being paid by the Scottish Government or the UK Government?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Dr. Sandesh Gulhane

Minister, I want to come back to modelling. When we did our modelling, we were clear that it was an estimate of the number of people that MUP had saved. I want to look at the difference in age-standardised alcohol-specific deaths per 100,000 people in England versus Scotland. In 2006-07, Scotland did better than England in that respect, and that was the case, too, in 2008-09 and 2011-12; in other words, Scotland had reduced the number of alcohol-specific deaths compared to England during those years.

There was no MUP then. In 2018-19, when MUP was brought in, there was still a difference; it was not as good as it was in 2006-07, but there was a reduction in Scotland. In 2019-20, however, England did better than Scotland, and the same thing happened in 2020-21. Can you explain that to me?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Dr. Sandesh Gulhane

You have said that we are seeing the benefit not just in the short term. I know that I am being cheeky asking another question, but would you commit to doing another review in five years?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Dr. Sandesh Gulhane

When the Scottish Government was in court, one of the things that the lord ordinary said was:

“In contrast, minimum alcohol pricing will ... target the really problematic drinking to which the Government’s objectives were always directed”.

To me, that sounds like dependent drinkers.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Dr. Sandesh Gulhane

So, the Scottish Government’s position in court was that the policy was to target all drinkers.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Dr. Sandesh Gulhane

I am sorry, minister, but, in court, the Scottish Government’s position was that the policy was meant to target all drinkers. Is that right?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Dr. Sandesh Gulhane

Okay.

On problematic drinking, we heard from Paul Sweeney that dependent drinkers are spending more money on alcohol; indeed, they are often choosing to spend money on alcohol instead of on heating their homes or eating. In Glasgow and Edinburgh, the money for drug and alcohol treatments has been cut. How does that square with your objective of trying to help those people?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Dr. Sandesh Gulhane

The proposed cut will surely harm dependent drinkers, because they will not be able to be helped in the same way by treatment services, and we know that MUP is causing them problems. How can we ensure that dependent drinkers get the help that they need as part of what you said was a nuanced approach?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 26 March 2024

Dr. Sandesh Gulhane

I am talking about cuts to drug and alcohol services.