Today's leading stories include minimum unit pricing on alcohol and a decision from the High Court on a case involving a potential victim of female genital mutilation.
Minimum unit pricing
The Times and Today programme report that research has shown that alcohol sales fell sharply after a minimum unit price was introduced in Scotland.
According to the Times, the 7.5 per cent average reduction in sales was more than twice as big as expected. The average adult bought 1.2 fewer units of alcohol a week from shops after the policy was brought in last year.
A Government spokesperson said:
While overall alcohol consumption has generally fallen in recent years, most notably among younger people, harmful drinking continues to affect certain parts of our society.
There are no plans to introduce Minimum Unit Pricing in England.
FGM deportation case
The Times and Guardian Journal carry a piece noting that a British court has said it has no power to stop the deportation of a 10-year-old girl at risk of female genital mutilation after authorities rejected her mother’s asylum application.
According to the articles, the girl’s mother, who travelled to Britain from Bahrain and would be sent back there if deported, had expressed fears authorities there could force her and her daughter to return to Sudan, where she is originally from.
A Home Office spokesperson said:
We will comply with the request and ensure no further action is taken in this case until the conclusion of the Female Genital Mutilation Act application.