HL Deb 02 July 1984 vol 454 cc133-5WA
Lord Avebury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will publish tables giving the following information:

  1. (a) the amount of alcoholic drink bought in the United Kingdom in each of the years from 1979 onwards, giving separate values for wine, cider and perry; spirits; beer; and all alcoholic drinks, and the total of consumer expenditure in each of those years;
  2. (b) for the United Kingdom, as a ratio of the 1963 values, the total personal disposable income per head, and the prices of beer; wine, cider and perry; spirits, and all alcoholic drink, for each of the years from 1979 onwards;
  3. (c) the exports and imports of distilled beverages, beer, and wine and other drink, in each of the years from 1979 onwards;
  4. (d) the number of deaths from cirrhosis of the liver in the United Kingdom for men and women respectively in each of the years from 1979 onwards; and
  5. (e) the number of findings of guilt for offences in England and Wales and Scotland separately for each of the age groups under 18, 18 and under 21, 21 and under 30, 30 and under 60, 60 and over respectively, and the total, for each of the years from 1979 onwards.

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Lord Cockfield)

The information requested is as follows:

(a) ESTIMATES OF CONSUMERS' EXPENDITURE ON ALCOHOLIC DRINK AT 1980 PRICES

(£ million)
Wine, cider and perry Spirits Beer All alcoholic drink Total consumers' expenditure
1979 1,817 2,843 5,897 10,557 138,004
1980 1,801 2,685 5,655 10,141 137,324
1981 1,911 2,539 5,345 9,795 137,559
1982 1,957 2,398 5,285 9,640 139,390
1983(1) 2,139 2,426 5,443 10,008 144,812
(1)Provisional.

(b) TOTAL DISPOSABLE INCOME PER HEAD AND RETAIL PRICES OF ALCOHOLIC DRINK

Taking 1963 as 100, figures for the years shown at current prices are as follows:

Retail Prices(1)
Total personal disposable income per head Beer Wine, cider, perry, spirits(2) All alcoholic drink
1963 100 100 100 100
1979 590 374 259 327
1980 696 470 296 397
1981 754 546 336 457
1982 815 642 379 529
1983 872 716 408 582
1984 na 767 428 619
(1)Based on January prices each year, including the base year. Long-term comparisons of prices such as these cannot be regarded as completely accurate. Changes in the quality of products, type of packaging, distribution through different types of outlet, etc., contribute to the uncertainties associated with these measurements.
(2)Reliable data for wines, cider, perry and spirits are not separately available.

(c) VALUE OF EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF ALCOHOLIC DRINK

Exports (£ million, current prices)
Spirits Beer Wine Other alcoholic drink Total
1979 784.1 18.2 26.1 26.0 854.3
1980 833.9 19.0 24.6 20.4 897.9
1981 880.4 21.5 25.8 23.9 951.6
1982 981.4 23.1 29.2 26.4 1,060.1
1983(1) 970.1 28.2 33.3 19.7 1,051.2
1Provisional.

Imports (£ million, current prices)
Spirits Beer Wine Other alcoholic drink Total
1979 119.4 34.6 316.2 7.4 477.5
1980 110.6 35.4 284.8 9.0 439.8
1981 104.9 40.3 318.0 19.5 482.7
1982 109.6 51.3 329.2 27.5 517.5
1983(1) 121.2 67.0 392.5 36.7 617.3
1Provisional.

(d) NUMBER OF DEATHS FROM CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

Male Female Total
1979 1,487 1,189 2,676
1980 1,438 1,258 2,696
1981 1,459 1,268 2,727
1982 1,413 1,232 2,645
1983(1) 1,378 1,301 2,679
(1) Provisional.

(e) 1. FINDINGS OF GUILT FOR OFFENCES OF DRUNKENNESS, ENGLAND AND WALES

Age 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
Under 18 5,703 5,754 5,097 5,166 not available
18 and under 21 20,060 20,644 17,509 17,177 not available
21 and under 30 29,687 30,598 26,483 25,989 not available
30 and under 60 56,317 58,639 53,276 52,833 not available
60 and over 6,046 6,624 6,226 6,161 not available
TOTAL 117,813 122,259 108,591 107,326 not available

(e)2. THE NUMBER OF PERSONS AGAINST WHOM A CHARGE OF DRUNKENNESS WAS PROVED IN SCOTLAND

Age 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
Under 18 506 484 350 295 274
18 and under 21 1,205 1,143 946 814 600
21 and under 30 1,635 1,709 1,390 1,302 1,082
30 and under 60 8,941 9,164 7,490 6,464 5,283
60 and over 1,341 1,296 1,153 855 841
TOTAL 13,628 13,796 11,329 9,730 8,080