Minimum price levels for alcohol could be brought in next year, Home Affairs Minister Graham Cregeen has confirmed.

The minister told the House of Keys on Tuesday: ’The Licensing Bill is currently being drafted and that will include a provision to allow my department to introduce a minimum price per unit for alcohol.’

A consultation on the Bill’s principles will take place in November and it is planned to introduce the bill to the House of Keys by January next year.

Mr Cregeen was responding to a question from Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey).

The idea of introducing minimum prices for alcohol was mooted in 2018 ago as a strategy to combat problem drinking. Figures released showed 8% of people in the island were binge drinkers and 20% of adults had some form of alcohol dependence.

The idea behind a minimum price per unit is to reduce drinking by stopping shops selling booze in bulk at heavily discounted prices.