ONE in eight deaths of working age adults in the UK is caused by alcohol, new research has claimed, putting the figure at more than twice the current estimate for Scotland.

An international conference of addiction specialists was told yesterday that problem drinking in the UK costs the NHS £2.7 billion, with one in eight people aged 15-64 dying as a result of alcohol consumption. This can be through ill health, deaths in accidents, road crashes and drink-related violence.

The figure, in a paper presented by Newcastle University academic Professor Eileen Kaner, is more than double the one in 20 figure currently estimated for drink-related mortality in Scotland.

Professor Kaner said: "Governments need to have a clear and unbiased view of the most up-to-date research on alcohol problems and be bolder about tackling some of the root causes such as overly cheap alcohol and irresponsible marketing that encourages heavy drinking."

She said the most cost-effective way of reducing the harm caused by alcohol would be to ban advertising and for England to implement a minimum price for alcohol similar to the 50p per unit due to be enforced in Scotland next year.

Professor Peter Anderson, who specialises in alcohol and addiction policies at the universities of Newcastle and Maastricht, said stricter regulations were being discussed across the EU. He said: "If England really introduces a minimum unit price, other countries will be persuaded to follow. At the moment it is a waiting game."

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said it was pleased to see minimum pricing recognised as a major plank in the battle against problem drinking, but said it was a matter for the UK Government whether similar measures were introduced for England and Wales.

The conference in Newcastle concludes today.