§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what the estimated cost to the NHS of(a) alcohol-related illness and (b) accidents caused by excessive drinking was in the last year for which figures are available. [179648]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Prime Minster's strategy unit estimated that the national health service in England incurred an annual cost of up to £1.7 billion as a result of alcohol misuse. This estimate did not include a breakdown of the estimated costs of alcohol-related illnesses or accidents.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce charges for those who attend hospital as a result of excessive drinking. [179649]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Government do not intend to do so.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to reduce the impact on the NHS of binge drinking. [179749]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThe Government's alcohol harm reduction strategy for England contains a number of measures to tackle the harm caused by binge drinking and the impact this harm has on individuals, communities and public services.
These measures include:The revision of the sensible drinking message.The development of new health promotion messages for binge drinkers.Pilots of targeted screening and brief interventions, which will help to identify people with alcohol problems, including binge drinkers, and offer them help and advice to cut their alcohol consumption.Improvements in tackling alcohol-related crime and disorder, which can often be associated with binge drinking.
§ Mr. SheermanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were hospitalised as a result of accidents caused by excessive drinking in each of the last 10 years. [179750]
§ Miss Melanie JohnsonThis information is not collected centrally.