Alcohol Misuse: Health Warnings (Hansard, 13 March 1991)

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Baroness Hooper)
My Lords, estimates vary as to the full extent of alcohol misuse and levels of harm, but as a government we are committed to reducing the misuse of alcohol and to getting across the sensible drinking message. However, we are not convinced that health warnings on alcohol containers would achieve this.

The Viscount of Falkland
My Lords, I thank the noble Baroness for that Answer. The reason for my Question on National No-Smoking Day, as I believe it is called, is not fortuitous. The non-smoking lobby has achieved enormous success in drawing attention to the health hazards attached to smoking. However, the health hazards attached to drink have not come home to those who abuse drink. Bearing in mind the amount of illness and the deaths which result from the abuse of drink, does the noble Baroness think that if we do not have a health warning, at least we may have more information on bottles and cans or where people drink or are served drink? That will at least tell them what is safe and what is unsafe.

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, the chief medical officer's view is that all cigarette smoking is injurious to health. However, there is no evidence that alcohol, taken in moderate quantities in appropriate circumstances, leads to harm. My answer to the noble Viscount must be that the problem of alcohol misuse is complex. It would be rather difficult to devise a clear, non-misleading and concise message which would effectively inform consumers about all aspects of the alcohol-related harm.

§ Lord Boyd-Carpenter
My Lords, is my noble friend aware that many of us would be shocked and horrified at the idea of pinning a health warning on a bottle of Chateau Yquem?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I can only agree with my noble friend.

§ Lord Stoddart of Swindon
My Lords, alcohol abuse results in harm to many people other than the abusers, particularly battered wives, battered children and the people who are beaten up on public transport and in the street. Is it now likely that London Transport will bring in a ban on all drinking in buses?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I cannot answer for London Transport. I offer some comfort in that the only countries in the European Community with a lower level of alcohol consumption than this country are Ireland and Greece. The consumption per head in this country is the third lowest in the Community. I agree with the noble Lord that there can be more than health damage as a consequence of drinking to excess. 176 There are examples of dangerous and anti-social behaviour following excessive bouts of drinking, as well as transport accidents.

§ Lord Carter
My Lords, do the Government agree with the evidence from the Institute for Fiscal Studies that the Chancellor could use taxation of alcohol to increase the price and reduce consumption by approximately 18 per cent. without reducing the revenue to the Government? That is, if the duty were related to the level of alcohol in the drink.

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, both we and the Department of Health, in addition to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, are well aware of the relationship between the cost of alcohol and its consumption.

§ Baroness Masham of Ilton
My Lords, is the Minister aware that this was one of about 50 recommendations in the Home Office report on young people on alcohol and crime? Is she aware that in America warning signs are used that too much alcohol may damage one's health? What harm could such warnings do?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, we are aware that warnings are required in a number of states in the United States. Some refer to health problems such as the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy or of excess consumption. Others relate to social problems such as drinking and driving, but as yet there has been no evaluation available for us to judge the consequences.

§ Lord Annan
My Lords, is the noble Baroness aware that the first health warning about smoking was given in 1604 by King James I? He issued, Counterblast against Tobacco. However, over the years, since there were no research facilities available at that time to prove his point, the message was forgotten. On the other hand, the effects of too much alcohol have been widely known ever since the Cyclops lost his eye to Odysseus.

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, that requires no answer.

§ Lord Rea
My Lords, does not the Minister feel that it would help everyone to achieve that ideal moderate drinking level which many of us consider to be beneficial, if all alcoholic drinks containers stated precisely how much alcohol they contain, either in amount or percentage terms? The same principle could apply in public houses and other catering establishments where drink and food are served together.

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, as part of our sensible drinking message we are trying to educate people in general to understand the number of units which may be consumed safely. They are 14 units per week for women and 21 units per week for men. Those units have been suggested on the advice of medical experts. The Government are using a number of methods to get that message across.

§ Lord Mackie of Benshie
My Lords, is the Minister aware that this Question does not reflect Liberal policy, particularly in Scotland?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, if I was not aware of that fact, I now am.

§ Lord Orr-Ewing
My Lords, is my noble friend sure that she quoted correct statistics when she told the House that the Irish are among the lowest consumers of alcohol in the European Community? I hope my noble friend can go to Cheltenham this week to confirm those statistics in relation to the Irish as they are not evident.

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, I can only assume that the statistics were founded on drinking in Ireland and not on the drinking of the Irish at Cheltenham.

§ Lord Whaddon
My Lords, does not the Minister agree that it has been amply demonstrated that any drinking before driving causes accidents? Would the Government at least consider putting a notice on all alcoholic drinks warning that they should not be taken before driving?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, we are aware that around 1,400 road accidents that occur in this country each year are associated with excess alcohol. There have been various educational campaigns aimed at bringing home the message that people need to restrain their drinking before driving.

§ Baroness Seear
My Lords, is the Minister convinced by the evidence that the consumption of 14 glasses of alcohol a week makes a woman an alcoholic?

§ Baroness Hooper
My Lords, 14 units of alcohol a week is the recommended safe level for a woman.

§ Lord Grimond
My Lords, are the recommendations given regardless of the size of men and women?

§ Baroness Hooper
Yes, my Lords.