19 August 2005
The Liberal Democrats are calling for the government to review its 24-hour licensing plans after new figures revealed that alcohol-related deaths have risen by 18.4% since 2000.
The figures, obtained by the LibDems from the Office for National Statistics, showed 6,544 deaths in England and Wales in 2004, compared to 5,525 in 2000.
The highest increase was in Yorkshire and the Humber, where 627 people died from alcohol-related illnesses, up by 46.5%, followed by the Northeast, up by 28.4%, but from a lower base of 335. The highest number was in the Northwest, where there were 1,179 deaths in 2004, an increase of 24.1%.
The Southeast had the second highest at 842 last year, followed by London with 772 and the West Midlands at 750.
Liberal Democrats home affairs spokeswoman Lynne Featherstone said: 'I am worried that the proposed change to licensing laws will add to this startling increase in drink-related deaths. The government should pause for more thought before it brings in the changes to the licensing laws in November.'
Alcohol Concern said the figures were alarming but predictable because 8 million people a year drink above safe levels, which the government lays down as around
14-21 units a week for women and 21-28 units for men. A unit is equivalent to a standard glass of wine or half a pint of beer.
The Department of Health said the government was tackling alcohol abuse in all its forms, and not just binge drinking, but that its reforms, promulgated jointly with the Home Office, were too recent for the impact to show up yet in statistics.
PFaug2005
