 The next item of business is a member's business debate on motion 10032, in the name of Carol Mochan, on investing in alcohol services to reduce alcohol-related harm in Scotland. This debate will be concluded without any questions being put, and I would ask those members who would wish to speak in the debate to please press the request-to-speak buttons, and I call on Carol Mochan to open the debate around such minutes, please. Thank you, Presiding Officer. It is unfortunate that today's debate is required, but I am pleased to have the opportunity to bring it to the chamber. At the outset, I wish to thank alcohol-focused Scotland, SHAP and others for the briefings that they have provided members with ahead of today's debate. I am pleased that the minister is attending the debate and I am pleased to see some Government backbenchers attending as well. However, as of this morning, not a single SNP or Green MSP had actually signed the motion. In his speech on Tuesday delivering a programme for government, the First Minister did not mention recently released statistics regarding alcohol-specific deaths. Yet again, what we are promised is a review of strategy, a review of delivery, but action feels as far away as it ever has been. I offer those words to the minister. If our approach to investing in alcohol services to reduce alcohol-related harm does not include accepting where we have gone wrong in the past, where we are currently getting it not quite right, then we are doing a disservice to those who already are and will become dependent on alcohol, their families, their friends and their communities. It is important that I note that in total 1,276 deaths were attributed to alcohol-specific causes last year, 31 more than in 2021, the highest number since 2008. That is 1,276 individuals whose lives were lost before time, and their friends and families have lost a loved one. That is a public health emergency. I think that we do all accept that. However, I joined with key stakeholders today in asking why has the amount of alcohol-related harm and deaths not convinced this Government that it is worthy of an emergency response. We have had no ministerial statement, no debate in Government time, no real path to delivery from the First Minister or the Public Health Minister. We can do so much better. Those who are currently suffering due to alcohol-related harm deserve better, and so do the countless families, friends and communities who have seen too many lives lost to alcohol without the correct support in place. Taking a somewhat deeper look at the tragic announcement last week, there are further causes for concern. While male deaths continue to account for around two-thirds of alcohol-specific deaths, the number of female deaths increased by 31 in 2022. It is pivotal that we analyse this detail and do all that we can to ensure that the increasing number of female deaths does not repeat itself, as well as reducing the number of male deaths, of course, from alcohol. As we see in this motion, while deaths are the most extreme form of alcohol harm, they are likely to be accompanied by increases in other harms, including domestic abuse and violence, and we know that that can disproportionately impact women. I repeat that this is a public health emergency, and I highlight the importance of having a multi-layered response that addresses key factors, both in terms of causes, related harms and improving outcomes. I often take the opportunity in this chamber to call for the reduction in eradication of health inequalities. As this motion states, the risk of alcohol harm is already greater for the most disadvantaged in society, with people in Scotland's most deprived communities reported over five times as likely to die and six times as likely to be admitted to hospital because of alcohol than people in the wealthiest communities. That is a devastating reality, but it is one that our most deprived communities have to live with every day. I am very grateful to the member for taking the intervention. One of the stats that we have looked at this before is that binge drinking is less prolific in our most deprived communities than it is in our least deprived communities, so it must point surely to the fact that there are less services available to our less deprived communities because of the imbalance in deaths of alcohol. I wonder if she would agree with that. My view on that is that it is an extremely complex picture. I caught in a lot of our difficulties in the most deprived areas as they get much less access to services, but we also have a system that builds in inequalities, so we have to look right across the board at what we can do to support those communities. The impact of alcohol harm is very wide-ranging and can impact anyone, but in 2023, those harms are still felt so acutely in our most vulnerable communities as appalling. We need to ensure that an approach to tackle the public health emergency is underpinned by a desire to support those most in need. The approach needs to be preventative in its nature, tackling the root causes of alcohol harm, which perhaps comes back to the member's point. Being strong in our approach to advertising where we have the powers to do so, putting people before profits and, for those already dependent, having the right support services in place through investment in our ADPs to give people an offer of hope and an otherwise incredibly challenging time. As I said at the beginning of my remarks, this is not a debate that any of us want to be having, but it is one that the situation we find ourselves in is necessary to have this debate. It is a debate that we need to have on Government time so families and communities can see how seriously the Government is taking that issue. Alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland are at their highest levels in 15 years, while at the same time there are 40,000 more children living in poverty in Scotland than they were a decade ago. The link between alcohol harm and poverty is damaging, yet it is well established. We must do everything in our power to break that link. I once again pay tribute to the first-class organisation that research alcohol harm, which suggests that, through the emergency, those who provide services to those who are alcohol dependent and, of course, our great NHS staff always do their best to act when they are called upon. They are all part of the fight, but they are being let down. They need a change of approach, which shows urgency and tackles an emergency. So far, the Government has not stepped up to the mark, and I implore the minister to take this opportunity today to come along and feedback and tell us how they will tackle what an emergency is for our communities. I now call Stuart McMillan to be followed by Sandra Gohani. First of all, I thank the co-convenient of the cross-party group on drug and alcohol misuse, and the vice-chair of moving on in Berkeley local recovery charity. I want to thank Karen Watkins for securing this debate. Karen Watkins also spoke in the debate that he had on the 14th of June regarding liver cancer—the same issues that are relevant in that debate and also today. In recent years, there has been a greater focus given to tackling drug-related harm, which is welcome. However, many in the recovery sector have expressed concerns about the impact that has actually had on efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm. As for today's motion, I quote with the reported 22 per cent increase in alcohol-specific deaths in the last two years following the Covid-19 pandemic, I am sure that we would all agree that equal attention must be given to alcohol-related harm. Locally, Inverclyde, it sadly reported the highest rate of alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland between 2017 and 2021, the majority of which were caused by alcohol-related liver disease. In addition, more than one in four people who live in Greenock and Inverclyde drink above the chief medical officer's low-risk guidelines, placing them at the higher risk of developing alcohol-related liver disease. This worrying local trend sadly reflects an alarming national picture across Scotland, as the number of people in Scotland who's death was caused by alcohol has risen again to the highest level in 14 years. The motion before us today suggests that changes in drinking habits, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, have played a part in the recent spike in alcohol-related deaths. Through my involvement with moving on Inverclyde, I genuinely can attest to this. Having been a board member for over eight years, I've seen the organisation go through many changes in that time. The reasons for people seeking help has also varied. As we moved out of lockdown, moving on Inverclyde found that an increasing number of people were in need of support regarding alcohol misuse. That's a point that the minister heard when she visited moving on Inverclyde very recently over the summer recess. It's easy to see that being stuck in the house for long periods of time with little opportunity to interact with others, either at home or in public settings, could lead to people drinking more heavily. It was always considered that other harms could follow on from the restrictions, and the impact that they had on those with substance dependence is clear now. The National Record of Scotland figures show that 1,276 people died from alcohol-specific causes in 2022. That's three people dying every single day because of alcohol harm in Scotland. I'd like to thank the British Liver Trust for bringing its Love Your Liver Roadshow to Scotland earlier this year to help to raise national awareness of the risk factors of liver disease, including excess alcohol consumption. I hope to bring the Love Your Liver Roadshow to Inverclyde in the autumn so that people in my constituency can access non-invasive liver scans and learn more about improving their liver health. Fibrous scan technology is quick and easy. It's painless and could lead to my constituents learning whether they might have liver damage and being given a letter to take to the GPE for further investigation. That could actually help to reduce the risk factors and ultimately save their lives. I want to once again thank Carl Mawrkin for securing this debate, because I agree in terms of this is a hugely important issue facing the country and there is no quick fix if there was. Clearly that would have happened by now. The motion talks about a plan, but Carl Mawrkin in our contribution spoke about urgency and emergency. Urgency and emergency are absolutely accurate, but to get a plan, that takes a bit of time to ensure, as well as that wide discussion and dialogue that is absolutely critical so that we can get to where we all want to be, to have fewer people in Scotland dying with alcohol related harm. I declare my registered interests as a practising NHS GP and to congratulate Carl Mawrkin for securing time for this most important debate. We have a problem with alcohol, including binge drinking, seen up and down our towns at weekends. In my GP practice I see many patients who have issues with alcohol, drugs and their mental health deteriorating as a consequence. Many patients I speak to do not realise that drinking say two glasses of wine after work to relax and unwind equate to about 42 units a week minimum. With 14 units being what is recommended it shocks them and they naturally want to reduce their drinking. Speaking to DrinkAware, I support their coming campaign to make more people aware of how much they are drinking. The SNP has been responsible for health in Scotland since May 2017 and 1276 Scots died with families who are grieving. Alcohol related deaths continue to remain the highest since 2008, with people in our more deprived communities suffering the most. With regard to alcohol the SNP has tried one flagship approach which frankly makes alcohol more expensive to those who are less well off and the trouble is we know that they are going without food instead. The minimum unit pricing policy has now been discredited by yourselves and it seems to be the only plan that the SNP have to tackle alcohol harms. So they put out a more convenient and positive spin on a Public Health Scotland report by shoehorning words like significant into the draft to claim a slam dunk success but there is no slam dunk success. There was also a humiliating climb down when accused of misrepresenting the analysis by spinning estimates as facts and they also implied the SNP also implied that resounding success was based on 40 studies this is not true. So yesterday in parliament cabinet secretary Michael Matheson argues that many leading experts have repeatedly said the MEP is making a positive impact in tackling the issue. What he failed to mention however is many evidence based experts who questioned the analysis and that's why the Scottish government and its spin doctors had to rewrite their public announcements. Furthermore and what is clear and crystal clear is that more people more people are suffering alcohol related deaths now than in 2018 when MEP was introduced. In fact men from deprived areas are drinking more with MEP in place and others are switching to spirits. MEP has abandoned dependent drinkers. If we are ever to get a grip on this crisis people suffering from dependence should have their right to access treatment and rehabilitation. This approach a right to recovery is backed by front-line experts. The evidence based suggests direct intervention actually works and improves outcome so let's concentrate on this. I now call Pauline McNeill to be followed by Alex Cole-Hamilton. I would like to thank my colleague Carol Mocken for bringing forward this time the debate to highlight the rising levels of alcohol harm in Scotland which is exacerbating health inequalities and adding to huge avoidable pressures facing our NHS at huge cost to our economy. Carol Mocken is right when she says that it is indeed a national crisis because the latest figures from the national records of Scotland show that nearly 1,300 people died from conditions caused by alcohol last year in Scotland and this figure has risen again to the highest levels in 14 years up to 2% from the previous year. So while we can also always use different reference points and use different figures what is clear is that the situation is getting more serious. Our most disadvantaged and marginalised communities are disproportionately impacted by alcohol harm. Shockingly people in Scotland's most deprived communities are reportedly over five times as likely to die and six times as likely to be admitted to hospital because of alcohol than people in the wealthiest communities. The crisis directly impacts my constituents and the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to health board area in my local health board. The largest in the country recorded the highest mortality for chronic liver disease in Scotland, so it is indeed a crisis. This is unacceptable and it highlights the need for urgent action to strengthen prevention and improve access to services. I want to mention in this debate the importance of facilities to help women offenders, a key focus for this Government and previous Governments. The question that was raised yesterday about the 218 centres is something that I know about because it was set up under a Labour Administration. A very, very important alternative to custody for many women but those who are alcohol dependent. It faces deep cuts and I just wonder how it really does fit with the strategy of women's offending and the crisis that we face. Six months ago, Justina Murray of Scottish Families, who is affected by alcohol and drugs, told the Criminal Justice Committee that one of the biggest barriers that prevents them from affecting change is their implementation. She said that, in Scotland, we are really good at writing down what we want to do. We have all the right things written in legislation, strategies and policies, but we do not implement what we say we will. We are good at saying what we are going to do but we are not so good at doing what we should be doing. It is not really accountability in the system. So there are still significant feelings of treatment, care and support services. Much more immediate work is required to reduce alcohol related harms and deaths. Long-term funding or relevant services is absolutely vital in tackling the rise of alcohol-related deaths. We need services throughout the country and the third sector needs to be funded appropriately in order to sustain those services for the foreseeable future. Nate Moe's mistake is a public health crisis that should be taken as seriously are drug-related deaths. 21 per cent more people died through alcohol than drugs in Scotland last year. We need to tackle both crises. That is clear, I think that Stuart McMill is making that point earlier on, and I agree with him. It is about time that we view alcohol as one of the biggest threats to population health. Every year, alcohol costs Glasgow, the region I represent, an estimated £365 million. It equates to £615 per person. Aside from the horrific impact of alcohol and people's lives that Karen Mawkin talked about, it does reflect a hugely detrimental impact of alcohol on economic growth and workforce productivity. Every life loss is a tragedy, so we must do more to ensure that vulnerable people have access to local community services and the resources to reduce alcohol abuse and alcohol-related deaths in Scotland. I want to make special mention of Alcoholics Anonymous, an organisation, a fellowship that has helped millions of people. It means a lot to me personally. The mentoring system and the 12-step programme has given me the opportunity to try to understand alcoholism and the complexity behind it, and I realise that there is no one simple answer to all of this. However, I think that it is an organisation that has something to offer in terms of the overall strategy. Sandra Gohani talked about issues across all communities and all classes, and how dangerous it is to focus on one policy. Is my personal experience talking to people who have been seriously dependent and almost risking their lives but being saved by services and being saved by Alcoholics Anonymous? That is the point that I agree with, Mr Gohani on, is that, for those groups, they will literally do anything in order to get access to alcohol because of their dependency on it. In conclusion, there cannot be a one-fits-all solution to this. We need to realise that it is a complex issue. I once again thank Carol Malkin for bringing in his important debate to the chamber. Thank you very much indeed, Presiding Officer. I would like to echo thanks to Carol Malkin for securing time for this important debate. It is important that we see Government time in the chamber made available to this vital topic. I would especially like to offer thanks to campaigners who have fought tirelessly to bring this conversation to the public debate, some of whom are watching from the public chamber in the gallery today. I hope that this debate can be the catalyst for more meaningful political action and, as I said at the start, Government time as well. We have heard that this is an emerging crisis, a hidden crisis, with over 1,200 people losing their lives last year alone to alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland. The highest figure in 15 years is something of note, as it is Macarb. Behind each of those deaths, we all agree, is an irreparable tear in countless families and communities. However, the statistic only scratches the surface of the harm that alcohol misuse is causing in our communities. I want to make it clear that, when we discuss alcohol misuse, we recognise that, like other forms of substance abuse, it is a sickness that is caused by a multiplicity of factors such as socio-economic ones, which I will come to later, such as trauma and even potentially genetics. It is essential that any action that is taken is driven by this understanding and, more importantly, that we do so with compassion. Long-term effects of alcohol misuse, including long-term health and addiction issues, can even impact future generations. At the beginning of this year, Scottish Liberal Democrat research revealed that more than 1,100 babies have been born dependent on substances, including alcohol, since 2017. Alcohol misuse has other ripple effects, including the intensification of domestic abuse, child neglect, family and relationship breakdown. I am grateful to Alex Cole-Hamill for listening to her talking about the impact on the unborn. We are also starting to recognise the impact of fecal, fetal alcohol syndrome disorder, as well, and about 170,000 people in Scotland could be suffering from that condition. Alex Cole-Hamill. I am grateful for Brian Whittle's excellent intervention. It is vital that we consider the impact that early days of life actually begin before birth and that what can happen in utero can lead to lifelong and life-altering consequences. It is something that I worked very closely with other colleagues on the baby in the bathwater coalition before I came to this place. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is something that we need to talk more about in this chamber, so I am grateful to Brian Whittle for that intervention. Here in Edinburgh it is estimated that alcohol misuse cost the city over £220 million a year. Within the last two years, there has been a reported 25 per cent increase in alcohol-related deaths, and, of course, in large part caused by the strictures of lockdown and the mental health impact of that. However, we cannot assume that, with the abatement of the pandemic, we will see those numbers of bait as well. That supports expert theories that the Covid-19 pandemic has had lasting changes in people's drinking habits, which has subsequently led to an increase in high-risk and harmful drinking. The fact that alcohol misuse appears to be worsening is just one reason why we need that urgent action. Although the Scottish Government has recognised alcohol harm as a public health emergency, there is yet to be an emergency response. We desperately need a strategy and effective policies. One such policy has been adopted, which we have just seen the impact of now is minimum unit pricing. My party supported its introduction to that policy. There is some promising data being produced, but we need to continue to monitor the efficacy of that, and when we are reviewing its potential renewal, which is something that will challenge all of us in the coming months. MUP, however, is just one tool that is by no means enough to tackle this issue. Alcohol services are still reeling from SNP-inflicted cuts. We remember in 2015 that the Government cuts funding to services in ADPs by nearly 25 per cent, which still receives no real-terms increase in funding according to Audit Scotland. As a result, it is struggling to maintain its service and the relationships that it provides and sustains, amid rising costs coupled with rapid increases in demand. That is why 36 charities and public health bodies, including the directors of Public Health Scotland, have called upon the Government to urgently provide increased and sustained investment in alcohol, recovery and support services. As I alluded to earlier, we cannot ignore the root causes of why people drink and why they harm themselves with alcohol use. People in the most deprived communities are five times more likely to die and six times more likely to be admitted to hospital due to alcohol-related causes. It is a health inequality and it is also attached to unresolved childhood trauma, as drug abuse is as well. That is why the Scottish Liberal Democrats would establish a new specialist family drug and alcohol commission, which would offer accessible wraparound services, taking a holistic, community-based trauma-informed approach to substance and alcohol misuse. The experts have been unequivocal in the extensive harm alcohol misuses inflicting upon us and their assessment of it. It is our duty then that we listen to them and we treat it with the attention and urgency and compassion that it deserves and is required. I now call Julian Mackay to be followed by Brian Whittle. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I, too, would like to begin by thanking Carol Mawkin for bringing forward this debate and by offering my condolences to anyone who has lost a loved one to alcohol misuse. I also want to thank Alcohol Focus Scotland and Shack for their tireless efforts to tackle alcohol-related harm. Every single alcohol-related death is a preventable tragedy, and this is a human rights issue. As elected representatives, we have a responsibility to act on this. Many others have covered recovery and treatment services. This afternoon, my contribution will focus on the other side of the issues of prevention and the specific actions that we need to take to address the alcohol death emergency. That will inevitably mean tackling alcohol marketing, which encourages people to start drinking and drink at higher levels. We know that exposure to alcohol marketing is a cause of youth drinking. Decades of research has concluded that alcohol marketing leads young people to start drinking earlier and to drink more. Allowing the industry to self-regulate is clearly not working. In a UK survey, 82 per cent of 11 to 17-year-olds reported having seen alcohol advertising in the last month. That obviously does not just affect young people. Alcohol marketing encourages consumption and risk-taking behaviour among heavier drinkers, causes higher craving levels and fosters positive alcohol-related thoughts. That can seriously impact people who are struggling with their alcohol use or those who are in recovery. Alcohol advertising makes drinking seem more attractive and encourages high consumption, and restricted alcohol marketing benefits everyone. In fact, it is recommended that the World Health Organization is one of the most effective ways of reducing consumption and the health and social harms that alcohol causes. Other European countries have already taken action. Ireland recently introduced legislation to ban alcohol advertising during sporting events and, crucially, events aimed at children. They are also restricting alcohol advertising on outdoor and on public transport and how and where alcohol can be displayed in shops and supermarkets. Scotland would do well to follow Ireland's lead and be bold in its efforts to tackle the proliferation of alcohol marketing. Measures that are recommended by the alcohol marketing expert network include restricting advertising outdoors and, in public places, sports and event sponsorship and retail display and promotion. Those measures should be brought forward as soon as they are practicable, and I look forward to hearing any updates that the minister has about timescales around upcoming consultations. I now wish to turn to the introduction of an alcohol levy. I have long believed that the polluter pays principle should be applied to the sale of alcohol. The alcohol industry makes huge profits from the sale of alcohol and should contribute towards mitigating the harm caused by the products that they sell. Retailers should not be allowed to keep the additional profits that they make from minimum unit pricing and should be invested back into prevention and treatment services. Alcohol-focused Scotland is also advocating for the introduction of an alcohol harm prevention levy. That would be raised through a supplement on non-domestic rates for retailers applied to premises licensed to sell alcohol for consumption of the premises. That is something that I have raised in the past and I would be grateful if the minister could update Parliament on the Government's current position and put and advise what consideration there is to bringing in such a levy. In conclusion, there are many actions that we can take to tackle alcohol-related harm. Now is not the time for timidity or hesitation. Too many lives and too many families are being destroyed. We must act and we must do it now. Thank you, Mr Mackay. I now call Brian Whittle to be followed by Stephen Kerr. Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I thank Calomocom for bringing this debate to the chamber. As we get the welcome news that drug deaths have started to decline, which is excellent news, it will be that they are far too high within or hit with the news that alcohol deaths are rising. It is important to note that those who are caught in addiction, alcohol and drugs, are almost interchangeable. In fact, especially with drug addiction, there is usually an alcohol part element to that as well. In my intervention to Calomocom, I want to clarify that. My co-convening of the Health and Equality Committee we heard that I was surprised to hear that in the most deprived areas, they are more likely to abstain from alcohol than the least deprived, but the impact of alcohol abuse and alcohol consumption is much more catastrophic in the deprived areas. We talked about that inequality of access to services that Calomocom has spoken about. In the last term, we all agreed to the minimum unit pricing, albeit with a sunset clause. We need to understand why, with the introduction of that minimum unit pricing, why those figures are so stark and what impact the minimum unit pricing has had, because, even if it has had an impact and I hope it has, alcoholism will not be cured by increasing the price of alcohol alone. I am concerned that the approach of the Scottish Government has relied far too much on minimum unit pricing. Not enough is being done in things like in education, not just in direct education in the dangers of alcohol abuse, but also I talked about the alternatives that are being offered to our youngsters. You will not be surprised to hear that those in the quality of access to things such as sport, music and art and drama, increasing budgetary constraints on our third sector organisation, as Pauline McNeill discussed there, are those who have access to those most isolated in our communities. I would ask the minister to tell the chamber, if she could, to inform the chamber how she is working with her colleagues, because it will take work across portfolio, especially within the education cabinet secretary and the community's cabinet secretary, because, as I said, it is a very complex issue, and it will take much more than we are currently doing to tackle that particular problem. However, what the minister will understand is that, across the chamber, that is something that unifies us, and it is something that we all want. For taking the intervention, at the recent visit that the minister had at moving on in Berklyde, there was a point that was raised by a number of the service users of the organisation, and that was the amount of activities that were available within the local area, but prior to them being involved with addiction, whether it was in drugs or alcohol, they did not realise that there was so much to do in the local area. Your point regarding complex is absolutely accurate, but I think that trying to lay the blame that there has been a lack of funding for third sector organisations or within communities is not until accurate. Stuart McMillan for the intervention. I have to say that I am going to disagree with you on a specific point. Obviously, I have a specific interest around sport, and, as I have mentioned often in this chamber, the way in which we access sport is becoming, or sports becoming, the domain of the middle classes now, and the actual access to that sport, how we allow access to sport and many other activities in sport is something that we need to consider. I have talked about the school of state many times, and that is why I mentioned education environment, because that is a battleground where we need to tackle that, and we can engender a different interest. I do not think that we are at cross purposes here, but we are very much in the same vein. If we can enthuse our youngsters to do something else or make sure that there is something in offer other than the boredom that leads to much of that, perhaps that is part of the complex response that we need. As I said to the minister, if she could let us know how she is working with colleagues across other portfolios, especially in education communities, I would be very grateful. Once again, I thank Carl Mawrhan for bringing this really important debate back to the chamber. Can I congratulate Carl Mawrhan on sponsoring this debate and bringing it to the chamber? Can I agree with her that what the evidence of the last, I do not know how many minutes we have been in this debate now, 45 minutes, is that we need a proper chamber debate in Government time to discuss this very important issue? We all know that our country has a complex relationship with alcohol. This is not a recent discovery. This has been going on for generations. I completely agree with what Pauline McNeill read. I do not know who the quote was from. I did not write it down, but I was struck by it. We are so good at talking about the problem. We are so good at producing words, papers and strategies, but we are just not any good at delivering any change on this issue. It has gone on for far too long. Therefore, I absolutely echo Carl Mawrhan's comments about the need for a full debate in Government time with all of the parties putting forward their ideas on what we will do to change the trajectory of our country in relation to alcohol consumption and alcohol dependency. Enough is enough. People die. People are dying and anyone who has ever spent time supporting someone who is struggling with alcohol dependency, who is having to deal with all of the illnesses that are contingent to their addiction to alcohol, we all know that it is heartbreaking. With that one person's life, so many hearts are broken. I have never felt that it was my job as a politician to tell people how to lead their lives. I just do not think that that is what I see my role as, but I absolutely believe and agree with colleagues who have said that it is our duty as parliamentarians to work together to create public policy that makes a difference, that enables people to make better choices. Those who will put forward the argument that alcohol consumption is entirely a personal decision and it is nothing to do with the Government or public policy. I am afraid that that argument crumbles in the face of the gentlest of scrutiny and all of the evidence of our life experiences, because Sandesh Gulhane, in his remarks, talked about the nature of the impact of this problem on families and communities and society at large. We do not live our lives as isolated beings. Even though we have our own individual identities and our own preferences, we are woven together. I absolutely subscribe to the doctrine that we are our brothers and sisters keeper. That is why we have a solemn responsibility as members of the Scottish Parliament to do something about alcohol addiction as it is impacting and harming individuals, families, communities and our country. Prioritising collective actions or blunt instruments over individual responses is not the answer. Again, Dr Gulhane was very clear about our position in relation to the minimum alcohol pricing policy. As well-intentioned as it is, it is not meeting the need because, frankly, picturing someone who has an addiction is easy for all of us. Facing higher prices, what does it do? It means that they do without in essential other areas and impacts other people in the process. Time is up shortly for me, so let me conclude by saying that we need a new course. We need to chart a new course for Scotland on this issue. Enough of the talking, enough of the strategies, enough of the reviews, let's do something. Let's invest, for example, in local rehabilitation centres across the country. Let's put help easily within the reach of every person that needs it, help within the reach of those who are trying, striving to support those who are struggling with the problem. Let's educate our young people, let's deal with the problem at root, let's create a better relationship between the people in our country and alcohol and let's deal with the behaviour issues that arise from the misuse or abuse of alcohol from binge drinking and other activities. Let's deal properly with the anti-social behaviour that arises because of the abuse of alcohol. Let's deal with the issues that my constituents, for example in Falkirk, talk of excessive noise, violence, graffiti, litter left in the wake of those who have been intoxicated and who have been disruptive in the street or the community. The failure to hold individuals accountable for their behaviour sends a destructive message, a dangerous message, about what behaviour is permissible. Failing to act, we are perpetuating a vicious cycle of harm. Therefore, I appeal to the minister to talk to her colleague, the Minister for Parliamentary Business, to see that there is a full debate on this issue as soon as is possible. I now call on the minister to respond. I would like to begin by thanking Carl Mawkin for tabling this really important motion and thank members for their considered contributions this afternoon. From the outset, I want the chamber to know that I do support her motion. We all agree that urgent action is needed to address the number of deaths from alcohol and to reduce alcohol-related harm. I offer my condolences to all the families impacted by alcohol deaths and restate my commitment to do everything in my power to tackle this public health emergency. As a family member who was affected by this very subject, it is also very personally important to me. As we have already heard several times today, the national records for Scotland reported a 2 per cent increase in the number of alcohol-specific deaths in 2022. Mortality rates in the most deprived areas are more than four times as high in the least deprived areas, and public health Scotland stats also show that admission to hospital was six times higher from the most deprived areas. Although those gaps are reducing over time, they are clearly still far too large, and tackling poverty must remain a clear focus for all of us. I am also particularly concerned in the reported rise in the mortality of women and in the Over 65s group. We need to ensure that our prevention policies and treatment services are addressing the specific needs of those groups and to tie them into the work across Government, which Brian Whittle and others have spoken about, and to respond to the health inequalities experience acutely by women but by other groups. Noting the increase that we saw this year in the deaths of women by suicide, we need to start to look at how all of these things tie together. As Alex Cole-Hamilton said, some of that comes out of the pandemic, whether that remains to be seen to be continued, and we really need to keep a close eye on it. The motion asks the Parliament to note its belief that a plan is needed to address this public health emergency. In response, I would like to set out the Government's plan for doing so, but I agree with everybody. I think that this is such a fulsome thing that we need to find time to bring it back in Government time to start looking at it. On pricing, we will soon be laying our report on the operation and effectiveness of minimum unit pricing in line with our commitments under the 2012 act. I look forward to discussing with Parliament the next steps for the flagship policy, as well as launching a public consultation on its future. It is not one single magic bullet, as some have alluded to. It is part of a suite of things that we are trying to do. Minimum unit pricing was a whole population attempt to look at driving down consumption. We know from the reports that we have seen a 3 per cent reduction in consumption overall, but I am acutely aware of how that impacts on people who are dependent drinkers. That is something that I will keep under huge consideration. I think that we will have a full debate on that when we get to it. Link to that work is the outcome of our alcohol marketing consultation that closed in April. We will be publishing the findings and our next steps in the coming months, including how we further engage on this critical issue. We also will continue to keep any proposals of a levy under consideration. On harm reduction, alcohol brief interventions can help clinicians and patients to identify harm reduction behaviours or the need for outside support and reducing alcohol intake. We have just completed a comprehensive review of ABIs, which will be published shortly. It will include recommendations, and we will provide Parliament with details of the actions that we will take in response to make improvements that help to reduce harm and can improve outcomes for people impacted by alcohol. The earlier that we can do that work to identify those who are drinking at harmful or hazardous levels, the better. I welcome the work that DrinkAware is undertaking in terms of helping people to self-identify whether there are issues. I look forward to seeing how that can work in tandem with that review of alcohol brief interventions. On increasing access to treatment, we have asked Public Health Scotland to investigate the reduction in the number of referrals to services. We need to make sure that referrals are made wherever appropriate and that there is capacity within services to meet people's needs. It is vital that we understand what is behind that data. I also want to understand, as Pauline McNeill spoke about earlier, where the gaps in data are, how do we understand how many people are engaged in fellowship organisations across the country? Those organisations are so vital and they help so many people. Brian Whittle? I am very grateful for the minister for intervention. As I used to question the minister, the drug minister said, if we can understand why Scotland has such a particular problem with drugs and alcohol, that would probably be very helpful in finding a solution to that. Is there any work being done with the Scottish Government to understand why we have a particular issue in Scotland? I think that we saw from the drug's task force the findings in terms of drugs. I think that some of that can be extrapolated in terms of alcohol harms as well, but as Carol Mawkin rightly pointed out, it is a very complex picture. I think that that is something that we need to continue to look at to try to understand what is driving that consumption within our communities. Some of it is to do with poverty and inequality, but a lot of it is to do with other things. We know that that increase in over 65s is particularly perturbing to me. Is there something round about retirement age where we actually start to see people's habits changed? So looking at that over time, I would assure Brian Whittle, is a key thing that I want to do. I have lots to get through, but if it can be—I can't, actually, sorry—I don't have enough time. There is just too much to talk about, and I think that is why we need a bigger, fulsome debate in here. We have also just commissioned Healthcare Improvement Scotland to take forward work to enable us to deliver our mental health and substance use plan, and the first part of that work is currently under way. As his work with stakeholders to develop an exemplar operational protocol to set out how mental health and substance use services should work together, it is vital that, given the number of alcohol-specific deaths that were caused due to mental or behavioural disorders, we cannot allow people to be bound to between services. We also know that workforce and recruitment in particular is a challenge across all the services at the moment. In the autumn, we will publish a workforce action plan on alcohol drug services to help to shape recruitment, retention and service design. That should help to create service capacity to make improvements, including establishing alcohol care teams in hospitals, to identify people with underlying alcohol problems earlier. I am meeting with the chair of that group this afternoon. I am also meeting with local leaders across the country to ensure that they are committing effort and resource to ensuring that services are in place, accessible and effective. I also wrote to ADPs recently to reassure them that utilising national mission resources to support services that offer treatment and support to those impacted by alcohol use alongside those impacted by drug use is welcome, and any concerns that they have should be flagged to my officials. To help to ensure that changes are delivered, the Government has already committed to developing treatment standards to offer people better access to support, a wider range of choice in treatment in line with what is available through the Medicusiness to Assisted Treatment Standards. The standards will be informed by the UK-wide clinical guidelines for alcohol treatment that will be launched in the coming months. The implementation of those guidelines and our proposed standards will provide the impetus to improving the identification and testing of patients who are at risk of liver disease and in primary care. As we have heard from Stuart McMillan, that is so welcome. On recovery services, we are encouraging specialist services to link more closely with recovery communities and we continue to provide funding to third sector recovery groups. We are also on track to increase our beds from 425 to reduce that shy of 600 across the Parliament, which is a 40 per cent increase. That is also about 1,000 publicly funded spaces, which is really important. Innovation, such as the Simon communities managed alcohol programme, really seeks to drive down harm reduction for those who are drinking at the most harmful levels. There is far too much in this that I cannot get through all of it, but in my conclusion, as Minister for Drugs and Alcohol, my role is to drive improvements and outcomes for both people who are impacted by alcohol, drugs and all the ways that we can help to tackle the twin public health emergencies. The Government will continue to work with statutory and third sector partners to deliver the plan to reduce alcohol harm and alcohol deaths. I will be working at pace to bring all of that together to ensure that our ambition is communicated effectively. I will seek to bring that back to Parliament. Y Llywodraeth Cymru