Alcoholism (Hansard, 26 May 1971)

§ 4. Mr. William Hamilton
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether 349 he will give details of the research now being done into the relationship between alcoholism or excessive drinking and crime, stating by whom such research is being financed.

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of four programmes of criminological research in Scotland known to me to be concerned in part with the relationship between alcoholism or excessive drinking and crime.

§ Mr. Hamilton
Would the hon. Gentleman say how much of this research is financed by the brewers? Can he also confirm the figures given by his hon. Friend in a speech a week or two ago, when he said that 20 per cent. of crime in Scotland was directly related to excessive drinking? Will he persuade his hon. Friends to use the £150,000 that the Tory Party got from the brewers in the last two years leading up to the election for this very socially desirable purpose of research into crime and drinking?

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
As my right hon. Friend has already indicated in reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mr. William Hannan), we accept this relationship between excessive drinking and crime. Indeed, this is a matter which we are referring to the Clayson Committee. This is a very helpful way of approaching it.

§ Mr. Clark Hutchison
Is my hon. Friend aware that the Chairman of Distillers lives in my constituency. He markets splendid products, which I strongly recommend. If my hon. Friend were to approach him for some money for research, I am sure that he would not receive a dusty answer.

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
I am interested in what my hon. Friend says. What we have to remember is that the question of the misuse of alcohol is primarily the responsibility of the individual. What is important is to make sure that public attitudes towards this matter are right.

§ Mr. Ronald King Murray
Is it not time that a forensic laboratory was set up in Scotland to investigate the causes of crime generally?

§ Mr. Buchanan-Smith
The Question relates to drinking, and we are financing 350 research on that. Indeed, we have not so far refused any application for grants for criminological research projects into this field.