Written question asked by Ross Cranston (Labour) on Wednesday, 2 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 10 March 2005. It was answered by Gerry Sutcliffe (Labour) on Thursday, 10 March 2005 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what recent discussions she has had with the Office of Fair Trading on minimum pricing as a means of tackling alcohol misuse.

Answer: Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with the Office of Fair Trading on minimum pricing as a means of tackling alcohol misuse. [220388] Mr. Sutcliffe: In the context of considering the options for tackling problems associated with excessive consumption of alcohol, both the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and my Department have provided advice to the Home Office on relevant aspects of domestic and European competition law. OFT and DTI officials have been involved in a number of relevant discussions, including on the particular issue of minimum pricing schemes. The Home Office's proposals on these matters were also raised briefly during a regular meeting between the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Board of the OFT that took place in mid- January The Home Office launched its public consultation document "Drinking Responsibly" on 25 January 2005

Secondary information