Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment he has made of the evidential basis for new guidelines on alcohol limits in respect of proposed metabolisation of alcohol by men and women.

The Government asked Dame Sally Davies, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), to oversee a review of the alcohol guidelines, to ensure these are founded on the best science and so that the guidelines help people at all stages of life to make informed choices about their drinking.

The Guidelines Development Group considered questions of individual variation, of which one issue is variations in the rates at which individuals metabolise alcohol. Their advice is clear that the weekly guideline is advice for the general population, which individuals need to consider in the light of their own individual characteristics.

A “List of supporting evidence” on the consultation page (where all the documents, such as the reports and evidence papers are listed) can be downloaded at:

https://app.box.com/s/wlludrmim3gd83r28c4oqb3upj68cqia