Cheap and readily-available alcohol has long been blamed for contributing to binge drinking, so it’s no wonder the Government is looking at hitting the public where it hurts – in the pocket.

Under plans to ban the sale of alcohol below cost price, it is understood a can of lager will cost at least 38p and a litre of vodka at least £10.71.

Bradford-based Morrisons supermarket introduced the policy of not selling alcohol below the rate of duty plus VAT more than two years ago.

Richard Taylor, the company’s director of corporate affairs, naturally welcomes the move. “The great thing about this policy is that for the first time it gives the Government a guaranteed lever to change the floor price of alcohol by changing the rate of duty and any extra money would go to the Exchequer,” he says.

It is a challenging issue. Levying too much tax on alcohol would inevitably have a knock-on effect on the already-struggling licensed trade, yet making it too readily available exacerbates the current problem of binge drinking, particularly among young people.

David Haigh, licensee of Haighy’s, in Lumb Lane, who is also honorary president of the Bradford Inner City Centre Licensees’ Association, says: “It hasn’t gone far enough. The actual cost is not a problem, it’s the availability.”

Mr Haigh believes supermarkets should have a separate check-out for those buying alcohol so they can monitor it more closely.

“You would have to make an effort to go and get it. You would have to go out of your way to buy it,” he suggests.

Nina Smith, programme leader for alcohol with Bradford Council, welcomes the impact the proposed pricing will have on strong lagers and ciders, saying it will have a positive impact on the amount young people drink, but adds it will not have much effect on how much adults drink.

“The fact is it may save a few hospital admissions a year, and when you consider there are 800,000 hospital admissions a year in this country due to alcohol-related reasons, and it’s going up, we would want that figure to go down, and that would require a level of increase which makes people drink less.”

Hilary McMullen, planning manager for alcohol treatment services, NHS Bradford and Airedale, also praises the move.

“I welcome the fact the Government has recognised there is a link between alcohol, pricing and availability and alcohol-related harm. Obviously it has not set the price at what has been suggested – at least 40p – but from my point of view, I welcome the fact the Government is making a step in the right direction.

“We will have to wait and see what effect it has, but pricing in itself is not going to tackle alcohol-related harm. It needs to be joined up with treatment and enforcement around licensing as well,” says Hilary.

This evening, Bradford Council’s Safer and Stronger Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee is due to discuss progress on implementing a plan to tackle problems with alcohol abuse in the city.

This is in addition to focusing on other challenges, including a possible increase in harmful drinking as a result of the recession, and financial pressures putting activities at risk, such as young people’s prevention services.

Jane, from Bradford, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, battled alcohol addiction for three years.

She says the cost won’t have any effect, but awareness will. Jane wants to see billboard advertisements targeted at the young and leaflets in doctor’s surgeries warning of the dangers of binge drinking.

“I don’t think it (the price) will have any effect at all because young ones will get it whatever, and the culture being as it is, they will find one way or another to get it.

“But if it was recognised as an illness and all the scientific side was published, I think it would make people think a lot more,” says Jane.