The Methodist Church has come out in support of calls from MPs on Monday for the introduction of minimum prices on alcoholic drinks.

The call came from the Home Affairs Select Committee in its 'Policing in the 21st Century' report, which also pressed for an end to 'happy hours' in bars and pubs and a ban on cut price promotions in supermarkets.

Committee chairman Keith Vaz said the widespread availability of cheap alcohol was contributing to high levels of alcohol-related crime and anti-social behaviour and was therefore a drain on police resources.

"The main responsibility in my view rests with the supermarkets, who compete with each other to sell alcohol at the cheapest level," committee chairman Keith Vaz told BBC radio.

"We cannot have on one hand a world of alcohol promotions for profit that fuels surges of crime and disorder, and on the other the police diverting all their resources to cope with it."

David Bradwell, the Methodist Church's Public Issues Policy Adviser, expressed his concern over the report's findings, including its assertion that alcohol is 69 per cent more affordable today than in 1980.

"Alcohol misuse is a growing problem. This is partly due to the easy availability of cheap booze," he said.

The Methodist Church has a long tradition of promoting abstinence and moderate drinking as a way of tackling the problems alcohol causes.

"John Wesley railed against cheap gin in the 18th century because of its devastating impact on the lives of the most vulnerable people," said Bradwell.

"The Methodist Church today urges the Government to move towards imposing minimum prices for alcohol and ending irresponsible promotions by retailers."