The minimum unit pricing (MUP) evaluation is overseen by the Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS) Governance Board, with academic and strategic delivery partner input. The Governance Board only oversees studies led or commissioned by Public Health Scotland.

The MESAS Governance Board has the following terms of reference for the evaluation.

1. Agree the scope and areas for study.
2. Advise on allocation of resources between potential areas for study.
3. Provide quality assurance of the evaluation plan which will be signed off by Public Health Scotland.
4. Make sure there is coherence within the evaluation portfolio and liaison with other relevant studies and stakeholders.
5. Monitor delivery progress and risk management.
6. Provide quality assurance of component studies and reports through individual members advising on study design, methods, data sources and peer reviewing reports as appropriate.

Advisory groups

Various Evaluation Advisory Groups (EAGs) have also been established to provide expertise and more detailed governance to studies or groups of studies.

EAGs overseeing studies led by Public Health Scotland have an external chair.

Six advisory groups were initially established:

1. Implementation and compliance (Study reported August 2019)
2. Economic impact and price
3. Harmful drinking
4. Crime and disorder, public safety and public nuisance (Study reported October 2021)
5. Children and young people (Studies reported January and May 2020) 
6. Consumption and health harms.

Overview of governance structure

You can view the governance structure, including current membership and terms of reference for the Governance Board and EAGs within our Evaluation Governance overview PDF.