‘Figures demonstrate a worrying trend and cost of binge drinking’

Politicians reacted to the latest set of booze shame statistics.

Dr Lisa Cameron, SNP MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, said:“The figures demonstrate a worrying trend and the significant cost of binge drinking and alcohol dependence to individuals, our health and justice systems.

“This underlines the need for the recent Scottish Government policy on minimum pricing.

“The number of outlets is a significant factor we must address but I don’t believe it is the only one. There are also deprivation issues including homelessness explaining why figures for East Mains may be particularly high.

“Alcohol-related aggression is long known to be one of the most significant triggers for crime and I would urge that treatment and prevention initiatives are targeted to those at highest risk; we must be mindful that behind these health and crime figures are families and victims.”

East Kilbride SNP MSP Linda Fabiani said:“It’s certainly worrying that part of East Kilbride shows up so badly in these figures, no doubt because of the main socialising area of the Village and town centre.

“The content of this report is further evidence as to exactly why we were right to bring in minimum unit pricing for alcohol. I am confident that minimum unit pricing will deliver noticeable health and social benefits and with the reduced consumption of alcohol, we will see reduced alcohol-related harm in EK and beyond.”

Tory Central Scotland MSP Graham Simpson, a former South Lanarkshire councillor, said:“When I was on the East Kilbride licensing board we did not have the benefit of such a detailed study.

“One of our jobs was to decide if any part of the town had an overprovision of licensed premises.

“At that time we decided it didn’t. However, we did not have a great deal of evidence to go on. To be fair, it was a judgment call based on local knowledge.

“It may be that the current board will take a different view but it’s not easy.

“What the figures suggest is that there may be a link between the availability of alcohol and health and crime so I would urge the East Kilbride board, if they haven’t done so already, to take a close look at this study.”

Monica Lennon, Labour MSP for Central Scotland, said:“As depute convenor of the local government and communities committee in the Scottish Parliament I recently explored the complex and often harmful relationship between our communities and alcohol with a panel of experts.

“This new research reveals a strong link between easy availability of alcohol and higher levels of hospitalisation and crime in East Kilbride. Alcohol-related harm is putting enormous pressure on local public services and is causing heartache and stress within many families.

“I have contacted East Kilbride Licensing Forum to explore what lessons can be drawn from this research.

“I am continuing to lobby the Scottish Government to take further action, including calling for a national information campaign to give the public better information about the health risks associated with alcohol, so that we can begin to transform Scotland’s drinking culture.”

A crackdown on supermarkets selling alcohol in cut-price deals was widely welcomed by the area’s politicians earlier this month.

Pub owners were also delighted with the new minimum pricing laws – and argued that big chain superstores were hitting their business hard.

The Scottish Government claims that minimum pricing will save 58 lives in its first year and reduce hospital admissions by 1300.