The Scottish Conservatives have warned that the introduction of minimum prices on alcohol could destroy the country's whisky industry.

David McLetchie, Tory chief whip, warned that a minimum price of 40p per unit of alcohol would result in job losses and have harmful consequences on an important industry.

In comments to the BBC, Mr McLetchie urged the Scottish government to clearly state the charge it intended to levy on drinks.

"He [Alex Salmond] needs to come clean and tell Scotland what his plans are and how high drinks prices will go.

"Alex Salmond is the destroyer, not the saviour, of Scotch."

A spokesman for Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill told the BBC that the Conservatives claims were inaccurate as minimum pricing would only apply to promotional schemes and not to premium products.

He said: "Scotch whisky is a premium product which Scotland is proud of and belongs to an industry which this government fully supports.

"Minimum pricing will not affect such premium products and is instead aimed at ending the pocket money prices which are fuelling binge-drinking and adding to this nation's unbalanced relationship with alcohol."

Scotland's government has previously said that heavy drinking costs the taxpayer £2.25 billion a year and puts the health service under heavy strain.
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