Treasury

Wednesday 12th September 2012 Ministerial Corrections

Beer Duty

The following is the answer given by the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Sajid Javid), to a question from the hon. Member for Lincoln (Karl MᶜCartney) during Treasury Question Time on 11 September 2012.

[Karl MᶜCartney]

I welcome the new Minister to his post and thank him for that answer. In my constituency, the beer and pubs sector supports around 1,300 jobs. At a time when household incomes are static and pubs have seen a reduction in trade as a result of the smoking ban and other nanny state impositions by the Labour Government, does he agree that the Treasury needs to provide further support to the industry by reversing the trend of rises in beer duty, which has grown by more than 40% since 2008?

[Sajid Javid]

As the incoming Economic Secretary, I note that I have been given responsibility for some of the more popular duties and taxes.

There will be no further changes to alcohol duties beyond those designed and pre-announced by the previous Government, but I hope that the minimum unit pricing system that the Government have announced will make a difference to pubs, along with other measures that we have announced to help small businesses such as reducing the corporation tax rate, the extension of the small business rate relief holiday and the reduction of the small profits tax rate.

[Official Report, 11 September 2012, Vol. 550, c. 125.]

Letter of correction from Sajid Javid:

An error has been identified in the oral answer given on 11 September 2012 to the hon. Member for Lincoln (Karl MᶜCartney).

The correct answer should have been:

[Sajid Javid]

As the incoming Economic Secretary, I note that I have been given responsibility for some of the more popular duties and taxes.

Budget 2012 announced no further changes to alcohol duties beyond those designed and pre-announced by the previous Government, but I hope that the minimum unit pricing system that the Government have announced will make a difference to pubs, along with other measures that we have announced to help small businesses such as reducing the corporation tax rate, the extension of the small business rate relief holiday and the reduction of the small profits tax rate.