The Scottish Government wants to increase the minimum price of alcohol further stating it would save lives.

A consultation on raising the minimum price from 50p per unit to 65p has been started.

The exercise will ask if the minimum pricing policy should be continued after the initial phase is due for review next year.

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It will also ask what level it should be set at.

Some health campaigners have argues it needs to be increased to reflect current pricing.

Elena Whitham, drugs and alcohol policy minister said more action is needed to tackle deaths from alcohol.

 She said: “The recent rise in alcohol-specific deaths highlights the need for more to be done to tackle alcohol-related harm.

“Our world-leading Minimum Unit Pricing policy is one of the measures we know can make a difference. Recent research estimated it has saved hundreds of lives, likely averted hundreds of alcohol-attributable hospital admissions each year - and also contributed to reducing health inequalities. It is one of a range of measures we have in place across prevention and treatment services to reduce alcohol harm.

“We believe the proposals set out in this consultation strike a reasonable balance between public health benefits and any effects on the alcoholic drinks market and subsequent impact on consumers, but we want to hear from all sides and urge everyone to take the time to respond.”

The evaluation report from Public health Scotland which estimated deaths were fewer than if minimum pricing was not in place also found that there was little or no impact on alcohol consumption among people dependent on alcohol and that people were spending less on essential items like food to pay for alcohol.

READ NEXT:Minimum pricing 'hasn't reduced drinking among the most harmful drinkers'

The act that introduced minimum pricing has ‘sunset clause’ which means it expires after six years, which ends on 30 April 2024, unless the government continues the legislation with the approval of the Scottish Parliament.