MPs need to be careful to ‘avoid conflicts of interests’ with drinks industry lobbyists, says a report from the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA), ASH and the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA).
This means adapting transparent principles for engagement with ‘health harming industries’, rejecting corporate hospitality – such as free tickets to sporting or cultural events – and equipping themselves to ‘challenge common industry arguments that undermine public health’, says Killer tactics – how tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food and drink industries hold back public health progress.
In a recent YouGov poll of more than 13,000 people, 71 per cent of respondents felt that all government policy should be ‘protected from the influence’ of the drinks industry, the report states, with 78 per cent feeling the same about the gambling industry.
MPs – especially those newly elected – need to familiarise themselves with common industry lobbying tactics, the report urges, and prioritise the ‘health of their constituents above the profits of unhealthy industries’. MPs and members of the House of Lords are allowed to accept gifts, benefits and hospitality under the Code of Conduct, provided they declare anything above £300 in value. However, businesses often provide gifts ‘strategically valued’ just below the threshold, the document says, meaning that the register of members’ interests may only represent ‘a fraction’ of the gifts received. ‘This raises concerns about conflicts of interest, particularly when MPs are tasked with making policy decisions that may impact these industries’, the campaigners state.
While there are strict rules on government engagement with the tobacco industry under the WHO’s tobacco control treaty, similar regulation does not apply to the drinks industry, which the document says is ‘a cause for concern’. The Institute of Alcohol Studies and other campaigners recently issued a set of guidelines for promoting transparency and protecting policy making from drinks industry interference.
‘Alcohol, tobacco and unhealthy food are the three biggest killers in our society, with alcohol alone claiming 10,000 lives in 2022 — the worst on record,’ said AHA chair professor Sir Ian Gilmore. ‘For too long, previous governments have worked hand in glove with these industries, leading to policies that prioritise private profits over public health. MPs are expected to make decisions based on the best interests of their constituents, but we know that lobbying tactics such as receiving gifts and benefits from these industries can lead to a conflict of interest and impartiality being compromised. If the new Labour government is serious about health as a key mission, and about cleaning up standards in Westminster, embracing the principles outlined in this report would be a good place to start.’
Meanwhile, a report from the London School of Economics (LSE) is calling for a new standalone service along the lines of NHS Talking Therapies for people with drug and alcohol issues. ‘One group of mentally ill people receiving little psychological therapy at present are those suffering from addiction – whether to alcohol, drugs or gambling,’ states Value for money: how to improve wellbeing and reduce misery.
From a purely economic point of view, a person who has recovered is 20 per cent more likely to work and would therefore be paying tax and receiving more than £9,000 less in benefits, it says. The report estimates the average cost of the service at £1,122. ‘A recovered addict costs the NHS £2,024 a year less,’ the document states. ‘A recovered addict costs the government £946 a year less in criminal justice. Thus the benefits are substantial and the net cost is negative.’
AHA report available here
LSE report available here