by Alan McGuinness

MP Tracey Crouch said she will continue to push for a minimum price for alcohol.

The Chatham MP, who chairs a parliamentary group on alcohol misuse, said the move was needed to help problem drinkers.

Miss Crouch was commenting in the wake of reports the government was set to drop its plan to charge 45p per unit of alcohol after a revolt by other Tory MPs.

If this was introduced a can of strong lager could not be sold for less than £1.56 or a bottle of wine for less than £4.22.

She said: “I really hope that the rumours are not true; I’d be really disappointed if they are.

“All the evidence shows that we have too much cheap booze at the moment and this is causing greater harm for those who become either addicted to alcohol or misuse it at the weekends.”

Figures obtained by Miss Crouch show that the number of drink-related deaths in men and women has increased in the last decade.

The number of deaths caused by drinking in women in high-flying roles such as chief executives, doctors and lawyers has gone up by 23% in the past 10 years, government figures show.

At lower management level, those losing their lives to liver disease and other conditions caused by alcohol rose from 247 to 290 – a 17% rise.

Among men, the number of deaths in both categories was higher but rose less sharply – the toll for 2011 was 15% higher than in 2001.

It is suggested that Chancellor George Osborne will set out the government’s view in the Budget next week. Those opposed to the policy claim it would hit the pockets of responsible drinkers who did not consume to excess.

Rehman Chishti, who represents Gillingham and Rainham, said “clear action” was needed to address the health impacts of alcohol, but did not say whether he supported minimum pricing.

Rochester and Strood MP Mark Reckless said: “It’s not an issue I’ve been focusing on in terms of following that debate.”

Cllr Tristan Osborne (Lab), prospective parliamentary candidate for Chatham, said the potential U-turn was “foolhardy, dangerous and one that may ultimately cost lives”.