Scottish alcohol plans shelved

Plans to introduce a minimum price for alcohol and raise the alcohol buying age to 21 by the Scottish Executive have been shelved for at least a year.

The controversial moves by the governing Scottish Nationalist Party have been blocked after opposition parties came together to force a delay of any legislation for 12 months.

Any attempt by the ruling party to introduce the measures as part of the 2005 Licensing Act have been put on hold as the opposition parties believe the moves demand separate legislation and need to be fully debated.

It is thought the action was taken jointly by the opposition parties chief whips. Mike Rumbles, Scottish Liberal Democrat chief whip, said: "They need to let MSPs scrutinise fully and vote on controversial measures like minimum pricing, which could have a devastating impact on the whisky industry."

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