Hard to swallow

In her determination to provide the "evidence" to justify minimum pricing of alcohol, health secretary Nicola Sturgeon published alcohol consumption figures last week (your report, 13 January) which are contradicted by her own government's statistics and make an alarming omission.

The Scottish Government's health survey shows that between 2003 and 2008 there was a 9.3 per cent fall in average alcohol consumption among Scots over the age of 16.

Despite this, Ms Sturgeon claimed alcohol sales per person for the year to September 2009 amounted to the equivalent of 46 bottles of vodka a year – a level that had "remained static since 2005".

While Ms Sturgeon will have to explain this discrepancy, it is clear that claimed consumption figures take no account of alcohol purchased in Scotland by tourists.

Are we really to believe the 15 million visitors to Scotland each year who spend in excess of 4 billion don't purchase a bottle of whisky to take home or sample a glass or three on their trip?

But why let the facts get in the way of the minimum pricing proposal? The figures also revealed that Scots pay more per unit of alcohol than people in England or Wales, yet drink considerably more too, challenging the notion that price has determined drinking levels in Scotland.

JEREMY BEADLES

Chief executive

Wine and Spirit Trade Association

Bermondsey Street

London SE1