Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Beer Duty

Tuesday 27 April 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Treasury is considering differentiating beer duty rates for on-trade and off-trade sales as part of an alcohol duty review.
  • Giles Watling urged the Minister to expedite action on the matter due to current extraordinary circumstances.
  • The Minister acknowledged the complexity of the issue, including impacts on producers and wholesalers.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Giles Watling Con
Taxation
Context

The Treasury is considering the merits of differentiating alcohol duty based on retail location. This follows a call for evidence from stakeholders.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to differentiate the rate of beer duty for on-trade and off-trade sales.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

The Treasury is considering the merits of differentiating products based on their place of retail as part of its alcohol duty review. We are currently analysing responses provided by stakeholders to our recent call for evidence and will provide further updates in due course.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific actions or timelines for implementing differentiated beer duty rates.

How: Under Review, Analysing Responses

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Q2 Giles Watling Con
Business & Trade
Context

Pubs and hospitality are facing daily closures due to economic pressures, necessitating urgent measures. The questioner advocates for a duty differential to support pubs.

Question

I thank my hon. Friend for her answer. It is all very well conducting calls for evidence and creating reports, welcome though they may be, but we live in extraordinary times that require extraordinary measures taken quickly. I implore the Minister to press her Department to act on this matter now. Hospitality in general, and pubs in particular, are facing closure every day. Will she act?

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

I know that my hon. Friend is a fierce advocate of pubs and brewers, and he has been proposing a duty differential for several years. I should stress that I am personally very interested in this proposal, but there are a number of complex issues associated with it, including how producers and wholesalers would account for and manage their stock of beer; how to ensure that any reduced rate is not exploited fraudulently; and how any differential would interact with the existing small brewers relief scheme. However, I would like to reassure him that we are looking closely at the proposals he has put forward.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to taking immediate action or providing a timeline for implementation of duty differentials.

How: Complex Issues, Looking Closely

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