A BOLTON doctor has praised the government’s plans to introduce a minimum cost per unit on alcohol— but says they could go further.

Prime minister David Cameron announced plans to set a minimum price of 40p per unit of alcohol for England and Wales as part its new strategy to clamp down on excessive drinking.

It is estimated that people drinking too much alcohol cost the UK £21 billion a year.

Dr Kieran Moriarty, consultant specialist in liver disease at the Royal Bolton Hospital, advised the government in his capacity as alcohol services leader for the British Society of Gastroenterologists.

He said: “We see the government’s plans as promising, although if you really want to have a major effect the minimum unit price should be 50p.”

Research by The University of Sheffield found that a 50p minimum price would result in 15,000 fewer deaths, half a million fewer hospital attendances and would save the economy £9.6 billion.

Dr Moriarty highlighted the issue of cheap alcohol as the main cause of alcohol-related diseases such as cirrhosis of the liver, and said it could also lead to alcohol-related brain damage and cancer.

He said the majority of patients with liver disease drank between 100 and 200 units per week, the equivalent of a large bottle of cider every day.

“A minimum price per unit is the most sensible way, because it starts to address the issue of heavy binge drinking,” he said.

“All the evidence is that price governs consumption.”

He added that the measures would not affect the cost of a pint in the pub or a glass of wine in a restaurant.

However the manager of an off-licence in Farnworth, who asked not to be named, said: “If they don’t have enough money they will just steal — that’s what happens already. The government don’t realise.”

Other measures announced include more low-strength products and smaller units, a ban on multi-buy deals and a “zero tolerance”

approach to drunkenness in A&E departments.

There could also be a latenight levy to get pubs and clubs to help pay for policing.

Home secretary Teresa May said the strategy was aimed at dealing with the culture that led to “mayhem in our town centres”.

Bolton public health consultant Deborah Malone said: “We welcome this measure. It is evidenced- based, and we are very pleased to see new strategies being developed that will have a positive impact on the local population.”