§ Mr. CoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions his Department has had on the co-ordination of policies to reduce alcoholism in the United Kingdom. [60708]
§ Ms BlearsThe NHS Plan said that the Government would implement a national strategy to tackle alcohol misuse in England by 2004 and we are on course to achieve this. We will consult fully with the devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as we develop this strategy. It is also the case that the devolved Administrations have consulted the Department in developing their own strategies for tackling alcohol misuse, including the strategy for Scotland that was published in January this year.