SETTING a minimum unit price for alcohol should be a first step in the introduction of a range of policies to tackle alcohol-linked ill health and improve "life chances", according to one of Wales' leading charities.

Tenovus Cancer Care has declared its support for the proposal - put forward in a Bill introduced into the Assembly - for a minimum unit price for selling alcohol in Wales.

But it wants to see the Welsh Government backing measures at a community level to help reduce the harm caused by excessive alcohol consumption.

"Long term alcohol consumption is linked to a number of cancers including bowel, breast and liver," said Jon Antoniazzi, Tenovus Cancer Care's policy and public affairs officer.

“Minimum unit pricing is aimed at reducing the harm of cheap and high volume alcohol in large amounts.

“We want to help people live long and healthy lives free from cancer, but we don’t expect everyone to become teetotal to achieve this.

"Minimum unit pricing will reduce harm to the heaviest drinkers in society, but it is not the only thing we need to do to achieve this.

"We expect the Welsh Government to support and promote community schemes to help the heaviest drinkers reduce and potentially quit across Wales.

"There needs to be a package of policy interventions in place to change life chances and we look forward to seeing this first step being a success.

"This is not a policy that hits your local pub, but one that starts in your local supermarket, by a small increase in the basic price of spirits and large quantities of cheap beer and cider.

"To put this into context, the proposals made by the Scottish Government mean each unit of alcohol will be at least 50 pence, meaning that a 12 per cent bottle of wine will have to cost at least £4.50, and a four per cent pint of beer at least £1.41."

The Scottish Government's attempts to introduce minimum unit pricing have been subjected to legal challenges. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the issue shortly.

The Welsh Government is pressing ahead with its own legislation despite this, as its powers on this issue will disappear next April when the Wales Act 2017 comes into effect.

Dr Dai Lloyd, Plaid Cymru’s shadow cabinet secretary for social services and public health, welcomed the proposed legislation, but warned that it needs to progress quickly.

"The legislation needs to proceed with pace to ensure that it becomes law before the restrictions of the Wales Act kick in,” he said.