A health charity has accused the new First Minister of acting like the “spokesperson” for the whisky industry.
Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) hit out at Humza Yousaf after he said he would use a meeting with the Prime Minister to argue against tax rises on whisky.
Last month’s Budget by the UK Government saw Scotch whisky hit with a 10.1 per cent tax increase.
Yousaf will meet Rishi Sunak for the first time today and he said he will put the hike on the agenda:
“Whisky has to pay its fair share of tax. Everyone, including distillers, agrees on that," he said.
“The decision, however, to increase tax by more than 10%, at the same time as refusing to provide the energy-bill support the rest of the drinks industry receives, puts the industry – and Scotland – at a competitive disadvantage.
“That means less investment and puts jobs at risk here in Scotland. That is simply unacceptable.”
Elinor Jayne, director of SHAAP, said: “By acting as the Scottish Whisky Association’s spokesperson in Westminster, the First Minister is undermining his own stated aim of taking ‘preventative action to reduce alcohol harm’.
"Alcohol taxation is one of the most effective ways to reduce alcohol harm, as made clear by the World Health Organization. Not only that, to argue for exceptionalism for Scotch whisky is inconsistent with the Scottish Government’s own policy of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of alcohol to reduce harm – the same policy which has saved hundreds of lives since its introduction.
“And given only 1% of Scotch whisky is sold in Scotland, the duty hike will have a minuscule impact on the industry, if any.
“On the other hand, by making alcohol more affordable, it is estimated that previous duty freezes have led to over 250 additional deaths and 4,500 hospital admissions in Scotland between 2012-2019.
“I would urge the First Minister to build on progress made with MUP, stick to his guns and not fall for the hyperbole of alcohol industry agitators.”
Yousaf also scrapped a consultation on curbing alcohol advertising, which critics feared would hit the whisky industry.
To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here.
