Eight-year battle for f lagship plan

PLANS for minimum pricing were announced in 2009, before then health secretary Nicola Sturgeon announced proposals for a 45p a unit price in September 2010.

However, MSPs voted down the SNP’s plan, with parties saying there were other ways to address the country’s alcohol problems.

In November 2011, the proposal was reintroduced by the SNP after the party secured a majority in the Scottish parliament election.

In May 2012, Holyrood backed plans for minimum pricing, with the Alcohol Minimum Pricing Bill setting the price at 50p per unit.

A legal challenge was launched by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) two months later and at the Court of Session in January 2013 it argued that the legislation was outside the competence of the parliament. However, in May 2013 Lord Doherty ruled it was not.

In February 2014 the SWA appealed this decision to the court, with three judges referring the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union.

In December 2015 the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg ruled that the plan would breach EU law if alternative tax measures could be introduced.

It concluded that a tax rise on alcoholic drinks could be less restrictive of trade but referred the case back to the Court of Session.

In October last year, Scotland’s highest civil court backed the Scottish Government’s plans to bring in minimum pricing but this was again appealed by the SWA.

Its appeal at the Supreme Court in London was launched in July in front of seven justices who yesterday rejected the SWA’s challenge.