Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 February 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Young Scot Health Panel report, Preventing Harm - Alcohol Marketing and Young People, when it will launch its consultation on alcohol marketing.
Our Alcohol Framework 2018 : Preventing Harm sets out 20 priority actions to tackle alcohol-related harms in Scotland. This reflects the recommended approach set out by the World Health Organization, which recommends action to restrict alcohol marketing as one the three 'best buy' actions that Governments can take to tackle alcohol-related harm.
The Framework sets out our commitment to consult on a range on potential alcohol marketing restrictions in Scotland. Work to prepare the consultation was paused due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however this has now restarted and current plans are for a full public consultation later in 2021 engaging a wide range of stakeholders and voices.
The Alcohol Framework pledges to put the voices of children and young people at the heart of forming our proposals and next steps. I am grateful to both the Young Scot Health Panel and the Children's Parliament for undertaking projects on alcohol policy, and both of their reports will help to inform our work in this area.