Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Griffiths Excerpts

Tuesday 11th March 2014 Commons Chamber

[Nicky Morgan]

First, may I express my sympathy for anybody whose job has been either lost or put at risk? I know that Wales Office Ministers have been in close contact with energy-intensive industries in Wales and have had discussions with both the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and me about these issues. The Government recognise that the rise in energy costs is a key issue for many businesses, especially given the lower than expected European carbon price, and we will of course listen to all concerns expressed in relation to these issues.

[Andrew Griffiths (Burton) (Con)]

14. How much beer duty was paid by people in each income quintile in each year from 2008 to 2013.

[The Economic Secretary to the Treasury (Nicky Morgan)]

Budget 2013 ended the beer duty escalator and reduced the tax on beer by 1p a pint to help support pubs. The Office for National Statistics publication “The effects of taxes and benefits on household income” provides estimates of the amount of beer and cider duties paid by households in each quintile, and in 2011-12 households in the bottom quintile paid £87 while households in the top income quintile paid £208.

[Andrew Griffiths]

Given that we have seen revenue to the Treasury increase, £400 million-worth of investment by the industry in jobs and growth, and brewers and businesses benefiting from the cut in beer duty, does the Minister agree that the Chancellor was right to scrap Labour’s hated beer duty escalator? Given that a trip to the pub is one of our few pleasures in life, does she accept that it would be folly to increase beer duty in the Budget?

[Nicky Morgan]

Of course I agree with the actions that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer took at the last Budget, and I congratulate my hon. Friend on the campaign he ran on behalf of pubs, both in his constituency and across the country. I have seen the confidence that the reduction in beer duty has given to Britain’s pubs. The public finances already assume that beer duty will rise by less than other alcohol duties this year, after we ended that beer duty escalator. As my hon. Friend will know, we keep all taxes and duties under review.