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Sir Desmond Swayne (in the Chair)
Hon. Members should rise in their places repeatedly if they wish to catch my eye.
Jacob Collier (Burton and Uttoxeter) (Lab)
I beg to move,
That this House has considered the potential merits of recognising the production and serving of cask ale as Intangible Cultural Heritage.
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond. I refer the House to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Derby South (Baggy Shanker) for originally securing this debate. He has now reached the dizzy heights of Parliamentary Private Secretary, so is unable to open the debate. I believe it started as an idea in the Brunswick Inn in Derby, an excellent pub combining my interests of railways and beer, and one that I have frequented. I also thank hon. Members who supported the application, and Brad Evans and Jonny Garrett for their tireless work through the Keep Cask Alive campaign.
It is worth reminding ourselves what cask or real ale is. It is ale that, once brewed, is put straight into the barrel. That distinguishes it from most other beers, which tend to be filtered, pasteurised or carbonated before being put in the barrel. The shape of the cask barrel is different from that of the kegs that other beers are put into, to allow a natural, secondary fermentation process to occur within the barrel, allowing more flavour to develop after the barrel has left the brewery. Cask ale is a living product, a live beer, drawn out of the barrel using a hand pump—which is always a popular photo op for politicians.
Cask ale is uniquely British—indeed, uniquely English. The cask method started here and, until the arrival of lager in the 20th century, cask ale was the main choice of drink for people across Britain. Cask is part of who we are, our heritage and British culture.
Warinder Juss (Wolverhampton West) (Lab)
My constituency was the proud of home of Banks’s Brewery for more than 150 years, until its closure last year saw production of its signature cask ales either moved elsewhere or discontinued. Those beers were part of our local cultural and historic identity, reflecting generations of skill and pride in our brewing heritage. Does my hon. Friend agree that that heritage deserves protection, and will he join me in supporting the work of organisations such as the Campaign for Real Ale to preserve that heritage for future generations?
Jacob Collier
I of course join my hon. Friend in supporting those organisations. We have had conversations following Carlsberg’s decision to close Burton’s Marston’s Brewery, where my hon. Friend’s ales are brewed. We will work closely to protect a heritage that is so important to his constituents and the rest of the country.
I now have the immense privilege of serving as Member of Parliament for the residents of my home town of Burton upon Trent. We would not be who we are without cask ale. Our waters are rich in minerals, perfect for the brewing of cask ale. From our town a brewing empire was born, exporting beer across the world. Names such as Bass, Allsopp’s, Marston’s, Salt & Co and Ind Coope enjoyed spectacular success from the 19th century onwards. At one time, over half the population of Burton upon Trent was employed by the breweries. My predecessors in this House include Bass, Ratcliff, Gretton and Evershed, before some were elevated to the other place. I can assure colleagues that, if I fail to be elected at the next general election, I am not in line for a “beerage”.
Burton’s waters were so good that others copied them through a process called Burtonisation, but, of course, the original is always the best.
Chris Kane (Stirling and Strathallan) (Lab)
It is great to hear my hon. Friend mention the titans of the brewing industry; I have enjoyed a few pints from his constituency in my lifetime. In my constituency, traditional brewing skills are being kept alive by small, independent businesses, often driven as much by a love of the product as commercial considerations. Brewers such as the Allanwater Brewhouse in Bridge of Allan, Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing Brewery in Dunblane and Brewing at the Fintry Inn all bring their own character and creativity to a local brewing tradition. I must also mention what went on in Alloa, my neighbouring constituency, over many years. Does my hon. Friend agree that preserving that cultural heritage is about protecting not just traditional skills, but the diversity, innovation and passion that smaller producers bring to the industry?
Sir Desmond Swayne (in the Chair)
Order. Can interventions be a little shorter?
Jacob Collier
My hon. Friend the Member for Stirling and Strathallan (Chris Kane) is absolutely right. The independent brewery sector has a real pride in and love for what it does. I think we are moving to a place where perhaps larger brewers are falling out of love with cask ale. It is smaller, independent brewers, which he spoke about, that have that real love for the craft and pride in what they do.
If you look around Burton today, Sir Desmond, you will find our brewing past and present everywhere. Our football team are nicknamed the Brewers, the smell of hops permeates the air, and our pubs tell the stories of days gone by. As a Burtonian, it fills me with immense pride to see the words “Burton Ales” on the side of a pub or the No. 1 trademark of the Bass red triangle in a place where you are not looking for it. Many of my constituents worked for the breweries, or their ancestors did, and so feel a strong connection to this, which is why the news from Carlsberg about the closure of Marston’s brewery was such a hammer blow for our town. Burton’s brewing heritage might not matter to some, but it matters to us, and it really matters to me.
Heritage is our link to the past. It gives us pride in place and a sense of identity. If places like Burton lose their distinct heritage, they lose a sense of identity and everywhere starts to feel the same. In an increasingly globalised world, place matters now more than ever.
Burton is just one example of the heritage value of cask ale. More broadly, we must recognise how British agriculture and farming have been shaped by cask ale. The pub itself is there historically because of cask ale; they are cask ale’s umbilical cord. From farmer to brewer, to publican, to pint in the pub, that process is a piece of living British history. Cask ale is an essential fabric within the tapestry of British heritage and identity.
This debate is about the specific status of intangible cultural heritage, in relation to which there has been a campaign to get cask ale recognised by UNESCO. That status was created by UNESCO’s convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage in 2003, and in 2024 the UK signed up to that convention. Since 2024, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and UNESCO in the UK have begun to collect an inventory of living heritage in the UK. Cask ale should be included in that inventory.
David Taylor (Hemel Hempstead) (Lab)
I am a lover of craft ale and real ale, and that includes Mad Squirrel in my constituency and Tring Brewery in a neighbouring constituency. I declare an interest, in that I am a member of Tring Brewery, which is currently experimenting with some Japanese hops from my garden. I pay tribute to Jared, the chairman of Mid-Chilterns CAMRA—the Campaign for Real Ale—who has worked at Tring Brewery for many years as a beer sommelier and who, together with Rev. John Williams, organises a fantastic festival in our old town to promote real ale. Does my hon. Friend agree that recognition from UNESCO would have real tourism benefits, just as it has in Belgium, where Belgian beer has the status?
Jacob Collier
I am sure that my hon. Friend, as the UK’s trade envoy to Japan, would be able to use UNESCO heritage status to strengthen the links we have with our Japanese friends, and I certainly agree with what he has said.
Intangible cultural heritage status was created for the purpose of preserving traditions and social practices, just as previous efforts at protecting heritage had done for artefacts and buildings, neglecting the fact that we can learn so much about who we are and how we got here through established traditions. Cask ale is one of those traditions in this country. The brewing and barrelling of cask ale is an art form requiring specialist knowledge and skills honed over decades and even centuries. It is science and engineering, and it is innovation. Once the ale is brewed and barrelled, further specialist knowledge is required by the publican to serve it. We all know what an off pint tastes like; there is real skill in handling these products.
Tonia Antoniazzi (Gower) (Lab)
As chair of the all-party parliamentary beer group, I was really pleased that my hon. Friend, in his role as chair of the pub group, came to visit my constituency of Gower. He realises that there are great challenges for the industry, especially in relation to the UNESCO heritage status that he is speaking about, which I think would be really valuable. Does he agree that there are wider problems in the industry and that we need to big up our communities and pubs and get people back into the pub and enjoying their community beer?
Jacob Collier
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. She has been a real champion on these issues as chair of the all-party parliamentary beer group. I am a co-signatory to the letter to the Chancellor—we will await what he says tomorrow—and I did very much enjoy the Gower Gold that I sampled alongside my hon. Friend last month.
There is no doubt that cask ale is a tradition of the kind that could be included in the inventory of living heritage. The reason it should be is because of the particular risk facing cask ale at the moment. Jonny Garrett of the Craft Beer Channel suggests that craft ale accounts for around 5% of beer sales annually, compared with around 50% in the mid-1990s. There are many reasons for that. Big brand lager provides significant competition at the bar, and the pub tie makes it difficult for smaller brewers to get their beers on sale in pubs across the country. I know that the Government have launched a review of the access to market rules, and I would welcome an update on that.
Cask ale suffers when our pubs struggle, and declining footfall and rising bills force many pubs to concentrate resources on higher margin products, of which cask ale is not one. When footfall declines in pubs, so does the sale of cask ale—although we must remember that we have seen a recent growth in certain cask ale brands, largely where brewers have recognised the heritage value of their product and used that as a unique selling point.
There are a growing number of successful brands, including Timothy Taylor’s Landlord, St Austell’s Tribute, Theakston’s, Boddingtons and Burton’s very own Bass, which is brewed at the Marston’s site. Samuel Allsopp’s brand has also been revived by Jamie Allsopp, most recently relaunching the famous Allsopp’s IPA. In my constituency, there are several successful independent breweries such as Burton Bridge, Tower, Outwoods, Roebuck, G3, Gates and the Uttoxeter Brewing Company. Some say that we may have reached the end of the road for large-scale cask ale brewing. However, the brands that I have listed show that there is a route to continued success for cask ale brewers, based on smaller-scale brewing dedicated to individual brands.
The other path is decline and cask ale ceasing to exist. If we are to ensure that the right path is taken, certain steps need to be taken, which include, but are not limited to, formally recognising the production and serving of cask ale as living heritage. Doing so would not be unprecedented: this is the 10th anniversary of UNSECO adding beer culture in Belgium to its list of intangible cultural heritage. Including cask ale in the inventory would give it protection and recognition. Cask ale can be marketed as world-renowned heritage and become a staple treat for tourists visiting Britain—as we know, many sample the delights of cask ale anyway. Including cask ale would create incentives for private sector investment and efforts by local and central Government and those such as CAMRA and SIBA—the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates—which are preserving cask ale heritage.
As my hon. Friend the Member for Gower (Tonia Antoniazzi) said, heritage status is just one step that needs to be taken. Further steps are required so that cask ale can continue to thrive commercially. These include the reforms to access to market, to make it easier for cask ale to appear in pubs. There is also beer duty. Hopefully, the Chancellor will increase draught relief tomorrow—I am sure we would all raise a glass to him. As the APPG on beer has highlighted, we should also consider whether to include brewing or hospitality as a whole in the industrial strategy and in industrial energy schemes.
However, the status of intangible cultural heritage would be an important step. The serving and production of cask ale is uniquely British and is still alive today, centuries later. It is living history that deserves our protection; I look forward to the debate today.
Several hon. Members rose—
Sir Desmond Swayne (in the Chair)
Order. May I suggest five minutes for speeches?
Mike Wood (Kingswinford and South Staffordshire) (Con)
I congratulate my Staffordshire colleague, the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier), on introducing this important debate so effectively.
Five years ago, when I was chairman of the all-party parliamentary beer group, I chaired an inquiry examining the importance of cask ale to British pub culture and how to revive real ale. We took evidence from more than 30 witnesses for our May 2021 report, “Caskenomics”. Five years on, rather than celebrating a renaissance, cask ale is facing an arguably even worse situation than in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic. Nothing illustrates that more starkly than the recent announcements that Molson Coors will close Sharp’s brewery in Cornwall and Carlsberg will close the historic Marston’s brewery in Burton upon Trent, having already closed the famous Banks’s brewery right on my doorstep in Wolverhampton last year. Losing Banks’s, Marston’s and Sharp’s should set alarm bells ringing across Whitehall.
Cask beer is a uniquely British product, and the handpump at the bar defines the British pub. Cask ale has a proud history, and having a proper pint in a British pub is consistently one of the top three things that overseas tourists say they want to do while they are in the United Kingdom. Pre-pandemic, cask ale was worth £577 million, directly supported 72,500 jobs and accounted for one in nine on-trade pints while providing up to 70% of output for small and regional brewers. Delivered live for the publican to condition in the cellar, its freshness makes it uniquely vulnerable when footfall falters. Once tapped, a cask must sell within two to three days, averaging 23 pints daily, or it spoils. Without thriving pubs, cask has no route to market as it cannot be properly reproduced at home. Conversely, without real ale, pub footfall suffers. That can be either a virtuous or a vicious cycle, depending on the decisions we take.
During the pandemic, cask volumes understandably plummeted, with 87 million pints, worth over £300 million, having to be poured away, and more than 2,000 pubs closed for good. As “Caskenomics” warned five years ago, uncertain trade forces publicans to rationalise handpumps in favour of longer-life kegged lagers, as the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter said. That reduces the variety that draws drinkers into our pubs. Five years later, mounting cost pressures, some of which are the direct result of decisions taken by this Government, have turned the pandemic shock into a structural crisis for cask ale.
Why does it matter so profoundly? First, as the hon. Gentleman said, there is an “umbilical cord” that links cask ale to community pubs. Three quarters of British Institute of Innkeeping members view cask as vital to their pub, and cask drinkers spend twice as much on average as other adult drinkers, while typically choosing a venue for mixed groups. It is a genuine heritage product and should be recognised as such.
Secondly, cask underpins the social service that pubs informally provide in tackling loneliness and bolstering wellbeing. Professor Robin Dunbar’s Oxford University study for CAMRA, “Friends on Tap”, proved that regulars at a local pub have more close friends, higher life satisfaction and greater community trust. They socialise in conversation-sized groups of three to four, unlike in large city venues where bigger groups fragment conversation and encourage heavier drinking. Thirdly, at typically between 3.5% and 4.8%, cask ale served in pubs is tailor-made for responsible consumption. Fourthly, brewed with domestic Maris Otter barley and British hops in casks that are reused thousands of times, it is a near zero-waste, low-food-mile product that sustains a British hop industry dating back to the 14th century.
To protect this important heritage asset, the Government must act on three core lessons that we found in “Caskenomics”. First, they must reform taxes and widen draught duty relief. The Treasury takes about a third of every pub pint, and pubs massively overpay business rates compared with other businesses with similar profit profiles. Brewers such as Black Sheep see about 60% of their turnover taken in taxes. Lowering business rates and building on a reduced duty for draught beer are vital for shifting sales from supermarkets back to cask ale in our local pubs, so widening the draught beer duty differential introduced by the previous Government should be a no-brainer tomorrow.
Secondly, we need to back British agriculture. Following New Zealand’s $8 million hop sector investment, we need targeted support for British hop growers and maltsters, who are so important to British cask ale. Thirdly, we need fair market access to champion and celebrate British cask ale as a heritage product. With multinationals closing, independent cask brewers need fair access to pub cellars. Alongside that, cask ale deserves official heritage designation to celebrate it as uniquely British, just as champagne is French, chianti is Italian and port is Portuguese. Cask ale is the lifeblood of our brewing heritage. It is important to the local identity of so many of our communities, and it is the anchor of our community pubs.
Tonia Antoniazzi
Will the hon. Gentleman join me in congratulating John Longden from Pub is the Hub, because pubs are where community lies? Does he also recognise the investment this Labour Government have given to that scheme?
Mike Wood
The investment that successive Governments have given to Pub is the Hub could not be better spent, so I certainly welcome additional investment. As the hon. Lady says, John Longden has done a formidable job with Pub is the Hub. I remember going around Cornwall with him to see pubs that were not only the last pub standing in a village but the job club, the post office and the village store. In one case it was even the hairdresser, and I think there is a photo of John pretending to cut my hair in the saloon lounge.
Cask ale needs these protections, and there is action that the Government can take starting tomorrow. I urge the Minister, and more importantly the Chancellor, to give our brewers and publicans the fighting chance they deserve.
Baggy Shanker (Derby South) (Lab/Co-op)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) for stepping up and leading this debate. Derby knows a thing or two about a proper pint. In fact, we have been described as the best place in the world to drink real ale, and I am sure that everyone in this room agrees with me. [Interruption.] Maybe not. Visiting our heritage beer festival, brilliantly organised by Derby CAMRA and festival chair Russ Gilbert earlier this month, it is not hard to see why. Hot off the press after winning pub of the year, I am chuffed to welcome Alan from The Brunswick to Parliament today. We have so many other publicans to be proud of, whether it is Jim and Steph at the Falstaff in Normanton, Mel and Sue at The Needles in Alvaston, freedom of the city recipient Steve at The Neptune or the fantastic team behind Ay Up at Dancing Duck brewery. Our city’s reputation is built on our brilliant pubs, publicans and breweries, and of course our amazing punters.
In Derby, we know that a pub is far more than just a place to enjoy a pint. Kat Higgins, our local CAMRA pubs officer, who could not join us today, knows that better than most. What is more, we know that a pint of cask ale is about more than just what is in the glass: it is about the brewer who understands the craft and the publican who takes pride in serving it properly, completing the brewing process at the pub. That is proper living heritage. These traditions do not survive by accident; they depend on the people who keep them going and the pubs that give them a home.
But the threats to cask ale are alive and well. In 1995, cask ale represented 50% of beer sales; today, it is less than 8%. We are seeing practices creep in where fresh ales are masquerading as cask ales, misleading punters while companies close breweries and reduce their cask lines, and we have heard examples of that this morning. CAMRA has been leading the charge to tackle this with its “Handpump Hijack” campaign, and I thank it for its work. Recognising cask ale as intangible cultural heritage really matters. It will not solve every problem that the sector faces, but it will help to recognise the people, the skills and the communities behind this great British tradition. Let us protect the best of British brewing and make sure that there is a great pint waiting for generations to come by giving cask ale the recognition it deserves.
Sir Gavin Williamson (Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge) (Con)
I remember the first day I tasted a true cask ale—I think it was my 18th birthday, when I first supped a pint of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord. It is a truly beautiful pint and something that I hope many 18-year-olds and people of advancing years continue to enjoy, but it is under threat. I congratulate the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) on securing the debate because it is important. In the historical boundaries of Staffordshire, we have been under assault, with the shutting of some of our greatest, best and longest-standing breweries. First, Carlsberg decided to close the Park brewery in Wolverhampton and then the Marston’s brewery. Frankly, a company that thinks Special Brew is a good alcoholic beverage does not have much care or consideration for true, quality cask ales.
We see a real challenge in our brewing industry. The Swan in Brewood has a bar serving some of the finest cask ales from across the country, with 12 always on tap. That was once seen regularly across the country, but it is increasingly rare today. Although the number of small brewers has grown over the last 30 years, with some 1,500 breweries across the country, some major breweries—as we have seen with Carlsberg—have been pulling out of cask ale. The point has already been raised that major breweries are misleading customers by making them think that they are getting a true cask ale, because it is served from a traditional handpump, when in reality these are not cask ales. As companies such as Carlsberg shut historic brewery sites such as the Park brewery in Wolverhampton and Marston’s in Burton, skills and traditions are being lost.
Like my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswinford and South Staffordshire (Mike Wood), I note that the Chancellor is not a passive observer. Tomorrow, he can do something important for the brewing industry and all our communities by making changes to the duty relief for cask ale. He can also support our pubs, because if we do not have vibrant pubs in our communities, we do not have a cask ale industry. If the breweries do not have anyone to sell to, they will simply wither and die.
Yes, it is about duties, but it is also about rates. So many pubs across my constituency still feel the squeeze from a double impact imposed by this Government not just on rates but on the cost of employing young people. There is an opportunity for the Chancellor to stand up, with a traditional alcoholic beverage by his side—I would suggest a nice pint from the Lymestone brewery in Stone—to celebrate and toast our brewers by not only helping them with the duties charged on cask ale but by helping out every single pub in our constituencies by getting rid of the national insurance increases imposed by the previous Chancellor.
I very much support the arguments advanced for special heritage status for our cask ale industry. Everything that we can do to promote the industry, and to make sure that people understand how special it is and how much work goes into every single cask, is for the best. I would also be interested to hear from the Minister about whether the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has dragged the chief executive of Carlsberg into the Department to demand to know why he is wrecking and doing so much damage to our brewing industry. She should demand answers and a commitment to investment in these incredibly important historic breweries, which are at the heart of so many of our communities.
Several hon. Members rose—
Sir Desmond Swayne (in the Chair)
Order. I am imposing a formal five-minute limit.
Ms Julie Minns (Carlisle) (Lab)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond. I thank my hon. Friends the Members for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) and for Derby South (Baggy Shanker) for securing today’s important debate and giving us all the opportunity to speak in support of recognising cask ale as intangible cultural heritage.
When I think of cultural heritage, I think of notable historic buildings like Carlisle castle or Carlisle cathedral, or structures like the Bewcastle cross and Hadrian’s wall, but heritage is also about the skills and traditions we pass on between generations. Few capture that better than cask ale. A great pint depends on the craftmanship of the brewer who makes the beer, the cellarperson who conditions it and the publican who serves it. These skills require knowledge, experience and care; they are worth celebrating and preserving.
Carlisle has a distinct place in brewing history. In 1916, during the first world war, the Government brought the city’s pubs and breweries under state control with the Carlisle state management scheme. Members might be interested to know that that remained in place between 1916 and 1973, and the last pub that the state built and opened was in 1973. I am not advocating for the nationalisation of our brewing sector; however, that remarkable experiment shaped pub design and licensing policy and left a lasting mark on my city’s identity.
That brewing tradition continues today. Carlisle is fortunate to have four independent breweries: the Carlisle Brewing Company, West Walls Brewing Co., the Great Corby Brewhouse and the Old Vicarage Brewery. Those small breweries support jobs, attract visitors and help to sustain our local culture. I am very much looking forward to sampling a little of their product at the Carlisle beer and cider festival later this week. West Walls Brewing is a success story, having opened its taproom just two years ago. It is a particularly good example of how independent brewing can attract new customers and create a vibrant hub of community life in our city centre.
Carlisle’s cask ale has even found its way into popular fiction. Readers of M. W. Craven’s “Washington Poe” novels will know of the detective’s fondness for the Carlisle Brewing Company’s Spun Gold ale and his appreciation of a properly kept beer, usually poured from The Kings Head in Carlisle city centre. Behind that fictional example is a serious point: getting cask ale right is a craft, and it depends on skills we cannot take for granted.
However, getting pints of independently brewed craft ale into the hands of consumers is a challenge due to the practices of the large brewing companies. I therefore invite the Minister to set out in her remarks where the Government’s thinking is on the introduction of a guest beer agreement in England. What discussions have been had with SIBA about improving market access for smaller breweries?
As I am sure a number of Members know, SIBA has looked at the impact of the Scottish guest beer agreement and what it has done for tied pubs, and 86% of the tenants who have an agreement in place have said it improved their trade. I feel it acutely because I represent a borders constituency, and I can literally walk a matter of metres to a pub that can enjoy a guest beer agreement. I urge the Government to get on with introducing a guest beer agreement in England.
Recognising cask ale as intangible cultural heritage would celebrate much more than a drink; it would recognise the people, craftmanship and community traditions behind it. At a time when pubs face many pressures and independent breweries are working hard to remain competitive, that recognition would send an important message: traditions matter and good beer matters. From Carlisle’s unique brewing history to the businesses keeping it alive today, our great border city—my great border city—shows why cask ale deserves to be celebrated and passed on to future generations.
Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)
It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I commend the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) for introducing the discussion incredibly well. This issue cuts directly to the beating heart of our local communities, our economy and our shared cultural identity. It is always a pleasure to see the Minister in her place—Members always look forward to her responses, and she will not be found wanting today.
I want to speak about the economic boosts, tourism potential and craft in relation to what the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter said. The potential merits of recognising the production and serving of cask ale as intangible cultural heritage under the UNESCO framework are vast. Cask ale is not just a commercial liquid in a glass; it is a living, breathing testament to an artisanal craft passed down through generations. It requires a meticulous partnership between the maltster, the farmer, the brewer and, most uniquely, the publican, who has specialised expertise.
Hannah Spencer (Gorton and Denton) (Green)
For the record, I do quite like an after-work pint. Constituents I represent run the fantastic independent Courier Brewing Co., and they make cask ale because they love it, but rising business costs and big international breweries dominate markets and make it harder for them to carry on. A pint of cask ale is a huge part of our heritage—as British as fish and chips. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that protecting it requires urgent action, such as giving pub tenants the right to request an independent beer on tap, like in Scotland? That will not solve everything, but it is a start.
Jim Shannon
I certainly do, and I am sure the Minister has taken note of the hon. Lady’s comments. In an age of mass-produced, globalised conformity, cask ale remains stubbornly and beautifully local.
I want to bring a Northern Ireland angle to this vital debate, ever mindful of the hospitality industry, our independent producers and the social fabric of our communities. Elevating local crafts to the status of intangible cultural heritage would send an unequivocal message to policymakers at every level that our traditional liquid heritage must be actively nurtured, protected and legally accommodated, rather than stifled. The hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter highlighted the importance of that when setting the scene. He also mentioned British wealth and prosperity, and we are part of this Great Britain. I am proud to be British, probably more so than some people where I live. The safeguarding of intangible heritage can transform a region: look at the spectacular revival of the drinks and spirits sector across Northern Ireland. The liquid arts are part of our DNA in Strangford and across Northern Ireland.
It does not brew cask ale, but the Echlinville distillery was Northern Ireland’s very first farm distillery. It crafts spirits from field to glass, by growing, harvesting and floor malting its own barley on site. That underlines the craft that goes into brewing ale and takes place in distilleries. Hinch distillery is another example; it brews triple-distilled whiskeys that are winning global acclaim. Rademon Estate, through the passion of Fiona Boyd-Armstrong and her husband David, also promotes craft distilling and successfully marries historic estate heritage with a thoroughly modern, sustainable vision, powered by its own on-site hydro and wind energy.
When we look at cask ale and the craft industry across this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, those distilleries exemplify the preservation of the craft, the celebration of local raw materials and an unwavering commitment to quality that cannot be replicated by a mass production line. What do those world-class distilleries have to do with the perseveration of cask ale? It is simply this: they prove that liquid heritage is an economic and cultural engine. When we protect and celebrate traditional production methods, we do not just create jobs in the mash house or the bottling hall; we create a tourism boost and boom. We give people a reason to visit Strangford, stay in the guest houses, eat in the restaurants and sit in our historic pubs.
It is worth reminding the House that even a giant like Guinness was once a traditional cask product, naturally conditioned in wooden barrels; however, the commercial shifts of the mid-20th century saw the multinational brewers abandon the cask system entirely in favour of highly processed, pasteurised kegs to maximise global shelf life. That is precisely why this debate is important and why we must act now. It is important for our independent craft brewers, farm distilleries and local publicans to step up and keep these historic skills alive.
By granting cask ale intangible cultural heritage status, we would protect the fragile living traditions that global corporate models have left behind. By seeking UNESCO intangible status for the production and serving of cask ale, we are not dwelling on the past but securing the future. We are protecting the fields of our farmers, the livelihoods of our independent publicans and the heritage of our people. I urge the Minister to work closely with the devolved Administrations to support our independent producers and back this campaign, ensuring that our unique hospitality and manufacturing heritage continues to thrive for generations to come.
John Whitby (Derbyshire Dales) (Lab)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I thank my hon. Friends the Members for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) and for Derby South (Baggy Shanker) for securing this debate on what is undoubtedly a crucial part of our national heritage, especially in the midlands. Cask ale has been part of British life for generations. The skills involved in brewing, conditioning, storing and serving it have been passed down over centuries. Recognising these traditions as intangible cultural heritage would be a fitting acknowledgment of their importance.
It is about more than just the beer itself. Pubs are places central to community life. They are places where friendships are made and people come together, and are therefore significant in the fight to reduce loneliness in today’s world. In many rural communities, the village pub is one of the last remaining places where people of all ages and backgrounds can meet. Nowhere is that more apparent than in our local authority area of Derbyshire Dales, where we have around 132 pubs, equivalent to 18.5 pubs per 10,000 residents. Excluding some unusually small local authority areas, that gives us the highest number per capita in the country. Those pubs are enormously important to our visitor economy, supporting jobs not just behind the bar, but in brewing, farming, food production, distribution and hospitality. They encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more money in our local businesses.
One excellent example is Thornbridge Brewery in Bakewell. Thornbridge produces some outstanding cask ales, which are enjoyed locally, across the country and internationally. Its riverside brewery and taproom employs more than 100 people, and the taproom is also an important events and live music space. As a former musician myself, I particularly welcome that. Pubs and breweries provide opportunities for emerging artists to perform, develop their skills and find an audience. Their contribution to our cultural life goes well beyond what is in the glass.
I welcome the vital steps taken by the Government to support pubs and breweries, including reduced duty on qualifying draft beer and improving small producer relief, but there is more to do. At the autumn Budget in 2024, the Government announced that they would consult on improving access to pubs for smaller breweries, including through greater provision for guest beers. I would be grateful if the Minister could update the House on the conclusions of that work, when it might be published and what measures are being considered to improve market access.
As has been said, there is a useful example in Scotland, where the Scottish pubs code provides pub tenants with a route to request a guest beer agreement, allowing them to sell at least one beer of their choosing outside the usual supply arrangements. I encourage the Government to consider introducing a similar provision in England. It could give independent breweries greater access to the market, offer publicans more choice and allow customers to enjoy a wider range of locally produced ales.
Recognising cask ale as intangible cultural heritage would be a positive step, but recognition should be accompanied by practical measures to safeguard the breweries, pubs and skilled workers who keep that heritage alive. Our pubs are not simply businesses; they are part of the fabric of our communities, our economy and our national identity. They are worth celebrating and protecting.
Samantha Niblett (South Derbyshire) (Lab)
It is an honour to serve under your chairship, Sir Desmond. I thank my hon. Friends and constituency neighbours, the Members for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) and for Derby South (Baggy Shanker), for securing this important debate.
Full disclosure: back in the early noughties, in my early twenties, I went to work for a company selling wine and spirits. I did a Wine and Spirit Education Trust advanced qualification, but not long after, we merged with the Beer Cellar at Chesterfield, and I had the great pleasure of learning all about cask ales. My patch covered Nottingham city, Derby city, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, and I would frequently work with incredible landlords running fantastic pubs on pulling together their beer festivals. It was always a highlight of the year. Whether it was the beer festivals or going to pitch guest ales each month, it was always a joy to see what new beer mat might be on the tables that month. So this plays deep to my core, and I am really grateful for this debate being secured, because it means a heck of a lot to the people of South Derbyshire as well.
When I knew the debate was going to happen, I put a shout out to Facebook—because that is where the real communication happens in South Derbyshire—asking people their favourite ale and the best place to buy and drink it. They were not backwards in coming forwards. I will refer to some of the recommendations they made in a moment, but I want to give a particular shout out to Tollgate brewery, the current owners of which have celebrated having it for 10 years. They have The Milking Parlour, a lovely venue that my hon. Friend the Member for North West Leicestershire (Amanda Hack) and I visited together in the summer. They have two ales that are well beloved in South Derbyshire: Ashby pale ale and Hackney blonde, which my hon. Friend and I are hoping to get into Strangers Bar.
Having put that Facebook post out, I was invited to the Melbourne rugby club’s beer festival over the weekend, by a brilliant local parish councillor, Andy Dawson, who is co-chair of the club. There, I got to meet the master brewer of Leatherbritches, a very small brewery based at the Tap House in Smisby, whose formal name is Edward Allingham but who is known colloquially as “Mad Ed”. He was telling me all about the history of Leatherbritches and where the name comes from. I would encourage everybody to google “ale connors” to learn a trick or two about how we used to tax ales back in the day.
Talking about Melbourne, it would be remiss of me not to give a huge shout out to The Spirit Vaults, which came up time and again, as a pub that brews some of its own beer on premise. The Reverend bitter came out loud and proud as a big favourite. Another small brewer that came out loud and proud was the 3Ps brewery at Woodville—3Ps standing for pits, pots and pipes, which speaks to our heritage in South Derbyshire.
While national brands were mentioned and places to drink them, like Pedigree at The Freehold Tavern in Newhall, and having a pint of Timothy Taylor’s Landlord—one of my favourites, actually—at The Robin Hood in Overseal, or a pint of Theakston at The Wheel Inn in Ticknall, there was one ale in particular that came out time and time again as a favourite. I do not know whether it is because of our close proximity to Burton that it is so very special to the people of South Derbyshire, but that is Bass. On the best places to get a great pint of Bass, people were not quiet in coming forward. Whether it is The Miners Arms in Church Gresley, the Swadlincote Constitutional Club, the Thorn Tree or The Crown Inn in Newhall, the Chequers Inn in Ticknall, The Bull’s Head in Rosliston, The Malt in Aston, The Harrington Arms in Thulston, The Coopers Arms in Weston, the Green Man in Willington, The Admiral Rodney in Hartshorne, The Brookfield in Barrow, The Hawk & Buckle or The Spread Eagle in Etwall, or The Colvile Arms in Lullington, Bass came out overwhelmingly as the people’s choice in South Derbyshire.
It was also very obvious to me that mainly men like to drink cask ale; they must work some magic because the average bladder can contain 400 ml, but the average pint of course is 568 ml, so I am not quite sure where they hide it. That is the one thing that prevents me drinking pint after pint of cask ale, I have to say.
The important thing about cask ales and the pubs that serve them is the sense of community they help bring. The excitement of guest ales is a joy but the consistency of a good pint of Bass is one thing that seems to bring real joy to the people of South Derbyshire.
Tessa Munt (Wells and Mendip Hills) (LD)
It is a pleasure to serve with you as Chair, Sir Desmond, and I congratulate the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) on getting this debate. It is brilliant that we are sitting here this morning and recognising the production and serving of cask ale as intangible cultural heritage.
Intangible cultural heritage is about the traditions and skills that are passed down through the generations that have shaped our communities. The UK’s cultural heritage is a national treasure. Our creative and tourism industries contribute billions of pounds to the economy. The latest research from Historic England is very clear: the heritage sector contributed £15 billion to the economy in 2022. Pubs are at the heart of our communities. They provide much, much more than somewhere to have a pint—and in my case, a good old-fashioned Somerset ploughman’s with a decent chunk of Cheddar cheese. I am not a drinker, but I do appreciate hugely the people who work in the industry in my part of Somerset.
It would be remiss of me not to take the opportunity to mention some of the cask ale producers in my part of Somerset. They include Butcombe brewery, which is located a little outside my constituency, but has three pubs within it. There is Badgworth Brewhouse and the Cross brewery, which is based at the White Hart Inn in Cross near Axbridge, which I had the pleasure of opening a short number of months ago. Cheddar Ales is probably known across the nation because it is stocked so frequently in many of our supermarkets, as well as our best pubs, and we have the Bason Bridge Brewing Company and the Beer Shed. Several of those locations are places where I have run my surgeries in the past, and I thank the publicans for the support that they have offered. Pubs bring people together and help tackle isolation, which is particularly key in a very rural area like mine. They carry a lot of history and help our culture.
Brewers and pubs are struggling. When a pub closes, community cohesion is weakened significantly, so we need to make sure we support the tradition. I ask the Government to make sure that they listen to people and communities, uphold the traditions and ensure they are supported so that they can continue and be shared for generations to come.
At a time when cask ale faces challenges, the Government should consider how its cultural significance and the skills associated with its production can be supported and recognised. The craft sector alone contributes thousands of jobs every year and over £400 million annually. Cask ale represents one of Britain’s most distinctive brewing traditions. Unlike filtered or pasteurised beers, it is a living product that continues to mature and develop flavour after it has left the brewery. The beer undergoes secondary fermentation in the vessel from which it is served, and each brewery’s unique yeast, creating natural carbonisation and complexity, cannot be replicated through industrial processes. It is unique. It involves a high level of skill both in brewing and in the cellar.
I am aware that the Government were asked to recognise the production and serving of cask ale as an intangible cultural heritage under e-petition 716686, which closed on 1 October 2025 and had a marvellous 41,026 signatures. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said it would welcome a submission from the cask ale community to the UK inventory. Cask ale would be included if the submission met the criteria.
The United Kingdom ratified the 2003 UNESCO convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage on 7 March 2024. We became the 183rd state to join UNESCO’s convention, which came into force on 7 June 2024. UNESCO’s convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage recognises traditional craftsmanship, oral traditions and expressions, social practices, festive events, knowledge and practices related to nature and the universe. To this end, the UK Government launched their public consultation in January 2024 on the creation of a new register, on to which communities across the country could nominate their most cherished local traditions. In 2016, UNESCO inscribed beer culture in Belgium on the representative list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. We Lib Dems would like some of that, please, Minister.
As passionate supporters of craft beer and brewers and the publicans who pull the pints, I would be delighted if the Minister could recognise the passion, love, commitment and contribution to the community of good brewing and good beer—enjoyed so often, as I said, with a ploughman’s—and back the campaign.
James Wild (North West Norfolk) (Con)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond. I congratulate the hon. Member for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) on picking up the mantle and securing this debate. It gives us an important opportunity to debate the merits of recognising the importance of the production and serving of cask ale, as an example of our living cultural heritage. This debate has been all one way so far and I will not be changing that.
Cask ale is more than a drink; it reflects the combination of craftmanship, knowledge, tradition and community. Cask is produced by hundreds of small breweries, often using British hops and malt. My own county of Norfolk has a fine real ale brewing tradition, with our first-class malted barley. I should mention Duration Brewing in West Acre and its Grasshopper beer, which I was enjoying last weekend. As we have just celebrated Trafalgar Day, I also mention Woodforde’s Nelson’s Revenge.
As CAMRA, which does so much to champion it, says, cask ale is synonymous with our great British pub. Its significance lies not only in what is brewed, but in the craftmanship involved, in how it is made and served, and in how it brings people together. Because the final conditioning happens at the pub, both the brewer and the publican must have specialist knowledge. Much of that knowledge is practical and acquired through experience, and skills are often passed through generations. It is precisely that kind of living knowledge that intangible cultural heritage seeks to recognise and protect. Our brewing traditions reflect our local areas and local beer styles. By taking this step of recognition, we could safeguard a living tradition that has helped shape the cultural and social life of Britain for generations.
The opportunity to recognise cask ale under the UNESCO convention follows its ratification by the last Conservation Government in 2024. I was talking to my noble Friend Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, who personally secured the ratification to support awareness of heritage and potentially increase demand across our country. For cask ale, such awareness could help support inward tourism—we have heard about the importance that people attach to the experience of a pint in a pub across the country.
This debate comes at a time when the sector is facing challenges, as we have heard. SIBA has reported a 20% reduction in cask consumption year on year—part of a longer-term decline. Despite that, it is worth noting that smaller independent brewers are finding success in the sector—compared to some of the larger breweries that are withdrawing from the market. We heard a passionate speech from my right hon. Friend the Member for Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge (Sir Gavin Williamson) railing against Carlsberg’s recent decision. Breweries benefitting from small brewer relief now account for 58% of the cask market—up from 40% a decade ago. Small brewer success is centred on local pubs, community spaces and taprooms offering experiences that people want to go and enjoy.
It is also important to recognise the role that beer festivals play in supporting cask ale, by introducing new people to the delights and the taste of cask ale. The Norwich beer festival is this week, and I heartily recommend it to everyone. I am planning to be there because I will be part of the judging panel for the champion bottled beer of Britain. It is hard work, but someone has to do it.
Tomorrow, we have the Budget. UK beer duty is the second highest in Europe—nearly 12 times more than most of our European counterparts. The Prime Minister has talked about giving everyone breathing space, as well as pork scratchings. The practical way to do that would be to increase draught relief, as a number of hon. Members have referred to, which was introduced by the last Government. Along with many members of the all-party parliamentary beer group, I have signed a letter to the Chancellor calling on him to freeze beer duty and to increase draught relief to 30%, which would take 10p off a pint. We also need to see action on business rates, employment costs and energy prices.
Cask ale culture has been submitted as an expression of interest, strongly backed by the 40,000 people who signed the petition and by hon. Members across the House. The Government have said that the panel is reviewing that submission. Can the Minister tell us when she expects a final decision to be taken? Will she also confirm how the Government intend to meet the requirements under articles 13 to 15, regarding measures to safeguard living heritage? Such recognition for cask ale would show that cultural heritage is not simply about buildings and monuments; it is about traditions, customs and our communities.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (Stephanie Peacock)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Desmond.
I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Burton and Uttoxeter (Jacob Collier) on securing this debate. He is a strong champion for his constituents, local employers and our brewing traditions. For decades, our heritage policies have focused on physical buildings and monuments, and we are expanding that by recognising living heritage: the crafts, skills and community traditions passed down through generations. This debate is a brilliant way to illustrate that. My hon. Friend made a strong case for the heritage, and explained the traditions associated with cask ale brewing with colour and detail. The support for this debate is reflected by the attendance and contributions from hon. and right hon. Members from across the House today. I recognise that my hon. Friend the Member for Derby South (Baggy Shanker) originally applied for and championed this debate.
Following the ratification of the 2003 UNESCO convention, we launched the nationwide search to document our living history, and the upcoming launch of the domestic inventories will be an important milestone. We have heard a strong argument for the inclusion of cask ale, led by the Campaign For Real Ale, the Craft Beer Channel and grassroots supporters and amplified today by my hon. Friend the Member for Burton and Uttoxeter and by hon. and right hon. Members from across the House. Cask Ale Culture has been formally submitted and is currently being assessed by an independent panel.
Alongside living traditions, DCMS continues to protect physical pub heritage. More than 12,000 listed buildings in England are current or former pubs. Through our arts everywhere fund and our £200 million investment in heritage to 2030, we are helping communities to restore and safeguard historical venues. We have heard from right hon. and hon. Members—I will not attempt to list them all—speaking about their local brewers, including Allanwater Brewhouse in Stirling and the Dancing Duck in Derby, and the sheer number of pubs—I believe it was 132—that my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire Dales (John Whitby) quoted.
To answer one of the questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Burton and Uttoxeter, next year, DCMS will launch a public consultation on safeguarding living heritage to identify the practical steps needed to keep these traditions alive. I encourage the brewing industry and the pub sector to take part. Cask ale protects skilled jobs, strengthens communities and preserves practical crafts. It is a vital living tradition.
My hon. Friend rightly mentioned the proposed closure of Marston’s brewery in Burton upon Trent, which I know he raised directly with the Prime Minister during Prime Minister’s questions. Carlsberg Britvic’s proposal is a blow to the workforce, the local community and the identity of Burton upon Trent and the surrounding area. Brewing is part of the fabric the area, and with more than 300 potential job losses and workers facing uncertainty, the Government stand ready to support them through Jobcentre Plus and the rapid response service. We will ensure that tailored support is available to help people to find new opportunities and to protect their livelihoods. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will remain in close contact with Carlsberg Britvic throughout the consultation process.
Sir Gavin Williamson
I welcome the work that the Government are doing, but has the Secretary of State dragged in the chief executive of Carlsberg? This seems to be a pattern of behaviour, happening not just in Burton, but in Wolverhampton as well. It seems intent on closing down all its cask ale breweries.
Stephanie Peacock
I was about to answer the right hon. Member’s question. Of course, that would be for the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and I will speak to Ministers directly following this debate. While this debate is not on that particular issue, I absolutely recognise that it is integral to the right hon. Member’s area and the surrounding area. I will speak to DEFRA Ministers directly.
The right hon. Member and my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton West (Warinder Juss) rightly highlighted the closure of Banks’s brewery. Of course, that announcement comes alongside Molson Coors proposing the closure of Sharp’s brewery in Rock. Both companies have pointed to the decline in cask ale demand. I totally hear the points that the right hon. Member made. UK cask ale volumes have halved in less than 10 years. I think we heard a statistic from my hon. Friend the Member for Burton and Uttoxeter about cask ale sales accounting for 5% of the market today compared with 50% in the 1990s. We are seeing a decline, but there are some positive signs. Industry data reveals a 50% increase in young adults aged 18 to 25 regularly drinking cask ales in pubs. We want that renewed interest to grow, and we heard a number of examples of how we might do that, including the Hemel Old Town Beer festival mentioned by my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (David Taylor), or the local festival that the shadow Minister mentioned—I wish him luck in judging the competition.
Pubs and hospitality venues are essential social infrastructure. They combat loneliness, bring generations together and provide places to bring people together in our communities.
Phil Brickell
On the occasion of the then Mayor of Greater Manchester, now the Prime Minister, visiting my constituency, I was proud to host him in Blackedge’s Brewery Tap on Market Street in Westhoughton. Recognising that he understands the value of cask ale and local independent businesses and breweries, would the Minister perhaps persuade his good offices to see what they can do to support the cask ale business and breweries to continue this fine tradition?
Stephanie Peacock
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that important point. As he illustrates, and from the visit that the Prime Minister made when he was the Mayor of Manchester, I am sure that he will be very supportive. I do not want to speak for him, but I will reflect it to his Parliamentary Private Secretary.
I see the importance of pubs in my area and my constituency of Barnsley South. I take this opportunity to thank and pay tribute to Dan at the Cross Keys pub in Darfield, who has made the pub a brilliant community hub. As he moves on, I wish him and the team the very best. It is just one of the brilliant pubs that Barnsley has to offer.
I attended the British Beer and Pub Association dinner and awards evening earlier this month and had the privilege of meeting John Longden, the chief executive officer of Pub is The Hub. I join Members from across the House in paying tribute to him and the work that he has done. As many Members will know, Pub is The Hub is a not-for-profit that helps rural and remote pubs to diversify their businesses and to provide essential local community services. The evening saw brewers, pub operators, suppliers and patrons celebrate the industry, with awards presented to extraordinary community champions.
To support pubs and venues directly, the Government have launched a £10 million hospitality grant. Over £3 million of that funding has been awarded to Pub is The Hub to support its work. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced a £210 million funding package for our high streets, including £125 million for derelict buildings and £65 million for community ownership. The Government have previously supported pubs through alcohol duty reforms, including introducing and expanding draught relief for products below 8.5% alcohol by volume and cutting duty on qualifying draught drinks in February 2025.
Jim Shannon
I thank the Minister for a very comprehensive and helpful response to our questions. What is important is not just the craft, but the tourism potential. Do the Government recognise that there is tourism potential for the economy to grow and create jobs and prosperity?
Stephanie Peacock
The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. As the Tourism Minister, I absolutely echo and agree with the point that he is making. I was about to say that pubs were included in the recent announcement on additional business rate support, which is 15% in 2026-27 and will be 20% from April. That will save the average pub £1,100 a year. Members would not expect me to anticipate the Budget tomorrow, and we look forward to hearing the Chancellor in the Chamber tomorrow afternoon.
The sector relies on skilled people. We see industry taking the lead with the launch of the British Beer and Pub Association Academy, opening its doors to degree apprentices to build the next generation of pub leaders and brewing managers. The Government want to back them, and this Government are transforming the apprenticeship levy into a new growth and skills levy in England. We are fully funding apprenticeships for eligible young people under 25 and offering a £2,000 hiring payment to non-levy-paying small businesses that recruit young apprentices. Backed by £1 billion, that investment will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships by March 2029, helping to train the next generation of brewers, coopers and cellar staff.
I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) for highlighting the rich brewing history of Carlisle, from the historic state management scheme to its independent brewers. She and a number of other Members asked whether the Government have considered extending a guest beer arrangement model to England, akin to the guest beer provision in the Scottish pub code. Ministers are giving it their consideration and DEFRA colleagues regularly discuss market access and competition with industry representatives. We will continue to listen to brewers and publicans on how best to sustain consumer choice, but given the interest in those policy areas, I will make sure I speak to the relevant Ministers following this debate.
I end by thanking my hon. Friend the Member for Burton and Uttoxeter and all Members from across the House for bringing this debate to the House. I look forward to working with colleagues across the House to safeguard the brewing future.
Jacob Collier
I thank the Minister for her response. I also thank hon. and right hon. Members for their support. Not many issues get cross-party support in this House, and we have definitely had that today. I thank everybody for their contributions, particularly my hon. Friend the Member for South Derbyshire (Samantha Niblett), who wins the award for the most pubs mentioned in this debate. It is no surprise to me that Bass is the most popular drink in her constituency. It is my drink of choice at The Devonshire Arms in Burton.
As we have heard today, cask ale is at risk because of changing attitudes and market conditions, but also because of some of the barriers that have been put in place. I welcome the Government looking into this and we all welcome what the Chancellor has to say tomorrow to hopefully support this sector, cask ale and giving it the UNESCO recognition that it deserves.
Question put and agreed to.
Resolved,
That this House has considered the potential merits of recognising the production and serving of cask ale as Intangible Cultural Heritage.