The Scotland Bill, which has been launched in Westminster, will allow Holyrood to set its own laws on blood alcohol levels for motorists. Both the SNP and Labour groups in Scotland favour reducing the limit from 80mg per 100ml of blood to 50mg. This could mean that drivers would be over the limit after just one pint of beer – a factor which could further…

In its response to the Home Office consultation on “rebalancing” the Licensing Act, the group said the planned changes would not work and would cost convenience retailers at least £11 million. Chief executive James Lowman said: “The proposed changes to the licensing system would be a disaster for local shops. “We fear that government is advancing at breakneck speed towards a raft of policy changes…

The postcard campaign encourages retailers to lobby Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to end the legislation which would force retailers to cover their tobacco displays as the coalition government is currently discussing whether to revoke the legislation. ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “The tobacco display ban is a policy which will significantly impact all local retailers. “Businesses will be forced to pay significant sums to…

The consultation proposes new powers for local authorities and represents a “significant erosion of licence holders’ rights”, it said. James Lowman, ACS chief executive, said: “ACS is keen to play a constructive role in this consultation. We will be strongly advising ministers that these proposals go far beyond a ‘rebalancing’ of the Act and instead would hand absolute power to local authorities, residents groups and…

The coalition government has vowed to ban the sale of alcohol below cost price to cut binge drinking in England and Wales. Alcohol taxation and pricing will also be reviewed, according to the policy document revealed today. It said: “We will overhaul the Licensing Act to give local authorities and the police much stronger powers to remove licences from, or refuse to grant licences to,…

The alcohol awareness charity’s What’s Britain drinking this Christmas? campaign has been short-listed in the best integrated campaign category in the CIPR’s awards. One of seven short-listed entries, the festive campaign used various means to push the message for sensible drinking, including “PR, experiential and digital methods”. Chris Sorek, chief executive of Drinkaware, said: “We’re delighted to be nominated for such an influential award. Challenging…

The report, published today by the British Medical Journal, analysed ad industry documents for WKD, Smirnoff, Carling, Lambrini and Sidekick. The documents included client briefs to agencies, media schedules and market research reports that were filed to the House of Commons Health Select Committee alcohol inquiry, which published its findings earlier this month. The report, written by Gerard Hastings, focused on four themes banned by…