Alcohol duty row leads to hypocrisy claims

Group Political Editor

Friday 28 October 2011

THE Scottish Government has been accused of hypocrisy by claiming it wants to tackle the effects of alcohol while benefiting financially from the increased sales.

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Brian Currie Political Editor

The attack was launched by Scottish Secretary Michael Moore after Treasury minister David Gauke wrote to Finance Secretary John Swinney saying there were unanswered questions over his call to have excise duty revenues devolved to Scotland.

Mr Gauke said there was an accountability gap over the Scottish Government wanting control over spending a share of alcohol duty receipts without the Scottish Parliament having any competence or accountability when it came to setting the rate.Mr Moore said: “On the one hand, the Scottish Government wants to tackle the social and health effects of alcohol in Scotland but on the other it wants to benefit financially from more alcohol consumption in Scotland. It simply can’t do both at the same time.”A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government’s proposition is clear. “Excise duty for alcohol would be devolved so that the tax revenue raised from alcohol duty in Scotland would flow to the Scottish Government, thereby aligning the revenue benefit with the public spending cost from alcohol consumption in Scotland.“The claim that the Scottish Government intends to benefit financially from excessive alcohol consumption in Scotland is completely unfounded.”

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Alcohol duty row leads to hypocrisy claims

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