Government Alcohol Responsibility Deal Rejected

Six leading health groups have dealt the government a blow by refusing to sign up to its new "responsibility deal" on alcohol in England.

The deal covers voluntary agreements with the drinks industry on issues such as promotions and labelling, aimed at tackling alcohol abuse.

Shadow health secretary John Healey said the rejection of Government measures was a "damning criticism" of the government's policy.But Health Secretary Andrew Lansley rejected the criticism, saying progress was being made and tough action was being taken where necessary.

He pointed to the recent announcements about plans for a new tax on super-strength beers and a ban on below-cost alcohol, whereby drinks are so heavily discounted they are sold for less than the tax paid on them.

However, he added: "We have made clear from the start that the responsibility deal is just one strand of the government's public health policy. It explicitly excludes cost and price competition to avoid conflicts of interest."

The full list of organisations which are refusing to sign up is: Alcohol Concern, the British Association for the Study of the Liver, the British Liver Trust, the British Medical Association, the Institute of Alcohol Studies and the Royal College of Physicians.