The chancellor is today finalising his budget which is expected to deliver the first "visible" tax increases since Labour came to office.

He has received some last minute advice from Alcohol Concern who are urging him to invest £45 million to kick-start activities to address alcohol misuse in advance of the National Alcohol Strategy.

Forum Response: Alcohol Concern

Eric Appleby, director of Alcohol Concern, told ePolitix.com: "The government has promised to implement a National Alcohol Strategy by 2004 - but we need to start putting in place the investment now if we aren't to wait another few years for the Strategy to bite.

"Allocating £45 million would go some way to laying the foundations for the Strategy while ensuring that current levels of treatment services are maintained. Such investment is not only sensible in health and social terms - but also from a financial, cost-saving point of view given the millions of pounds wasted on the effects of alcohol misuse.

"We would also like to urge the chancellor to resist drink trade pressures to cut or peg duties on beer, spirits and wine - and at least to ensure that duties keep pace with inflation.

"Any other course of action will effectively cut the real price of alcohol, and research shows that price reductions almost always lead to higher consumption, with its associated problems."