DEATHS related to alcohol have increased by more than a third, reaching a record high, according to official figures released yesterday.

The 34 per cent increase in England and Wales was spearheaded by Birmingham, which topped the league table with 1,042 alcohol-related deaths since 1997, followed by Liverpool and Leeds. Rates are highest in the North East and North West of England and lowest across the South.

The figures are probably an underestimate because they do not include deaths from cancer, suicide and accidents in which there was a causal link to alcohol. Some Whitehall officials estimate that the true figure could be more than three times those published by the Office for National Statistics.

Separate statistics released yesterday showed that the number of admissions to hospitals in England for alcohol-related diseases has also risen, to reach nearly 46,000 in 2003-04.

Richard Velleman, of Bath University, said: “A 34 per cent rise in seven years [for alcohol-related deaths] is massive and it comes as there is mounting concern about the problems related to alcohol — not just the obvious binge drinking but problems of domestic violence and workplace drinking.” He said that the damage done by alcohol was shown in increasing levels of liver disease and cirrhosis and the numbers treated in accident and emergency departments after drink-related incidents.

The number of alcohol-related deaths rose from 4,887 in England and Wales in 1997 to 6,544 in 2004, according to figures released as the result of a question by David Ruffley, the Conservative MP for Bury St Edmunds. There has been an increase of more than 100 per cent since 1979.

The figures on hospital admissions in England for alcohol-related disease also show an increase of 9.5 per cent since 1999. Admissions rose from 41,880 to 45,849 between 1999 and 2004. Mr Velleman gave warning that the relaxation of the drinking laws would lead to further increases in drink-related deaths. “I think changing the law was a bad idea. At a time when everybody is very worried that there is far too much alcohol available, changing the law was not a good idea,” he said.

“It is not sensible to relax the law and assume that people will drink less. That is a strange approach. It has never worked in the past in this country.”

Last night Mark Oaten, the Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman, said: “This adds an entirely new dimension to the decision to extend licensing hours. Under Labour we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of alcohol-related deaths, at a time when the availability of alcohol has been on the increase and the marketing of alcohol has become more aggressive. Extending licensing hours clearly risks further increases.”

The figures are the result of heavy drinking that may have begun up to 30 or 40 years ago. They reflect social changes since the 1960s.

Dining out and drinking wine, which were once almost exclusively the preserve of the wealthy, has become commonplace over the past 40 years. To meet consumer demand supermarkets started selling alcohol, which was once bought mainly from off- licences.

The revolution in women’s lifestyles means that there is now almost no social stigma attached to them getting drunk. Alcohol is also 54 per cent cheaper, relative to incomes, than it was in 1981.

DRINK RELATED DEATHS 2004

TOP 6

Birmingham: 127
Leeds: 105
Liverpool: 100
Sefton, Merseyside: 59
Kirklees, West Yorkshire: 54
Stockport: 54

BOTTOM 5

City of London: 0
Isles of Scilly: 0
Brentwood, Essex: 0
Teesdale, County Durham: 1
Uttlesford: 2

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