Scotch Whisky Excise Duty Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Scotch Whisky Excise Duty

Anne Main Excerpts
Wednesday 8th January 2014

(10 years, 10 months ago)

Westminster Hall
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Ian Paisley Portrait Ian Paisley
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I am not the representative of Irish whiskey, but I do have the Bushmills distillery in my constituency. It employs 102 people, but it also supports a vital tourist industry; there are more than 140,000 visitors each year to the distillery. Does the hon. Gentleman agree that the tax impacts on jobs not only in Scotland, but in my part of the United Kingdom? Indeed, 90% of what is manufactured in my constituency’s distillery is exported globally, but if the Government continue with the escalator, we are going to have high taxation on products that are exported. That is a bad signal to send to an industry.

Anne Main Portrait Mrs Anne Main (in the Chair)
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Order. Please make interventions brief. There are a lot of Members in this room. If everyone has interventions of that length, Mr Donohoe will run out of time.

Brian H. Donohoe Portrait Mr Donohoe
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I am grateful, Mrs Main. I hope that Members will note what you have said. What the hon. Member for North Antrim (Ian Paisley) said is important. He is from another part of the United Kingdom and correcting this wrong tax at the Budget is as important to him and his constituents.

--- Later in debate ---
Graeme Morrice Portrait Graeme Morrice
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I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Central Ayrshire (Mr Donohoe) on securing this debate. The Minister may not be aware that there is a considerable number of whisky producers in my constituency, including the North British Distillery in West Calder, Glenmorangie and Glen Turner in Livingston, and Ian MacLeod Distillers in Broxburn. This last wrote to me recently to express concern about the fact that, in the past five years, while we have seen a 44% increase in taxation on whisky, there has been a 12% reduction in UK sales.

Anne Main Portrait Mrs Anne Main (in the Chair)
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Order. Interventions must be brief.

Graeme Morrice Portrait Graeme Morrice
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Given the current 80% taxation on whisky, will the Minister seriously consider approaching the Chancellor before the March Budget—

Anne Main Portrait Mrs Anne Main (in the Chair)
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Order. The Minister.

Graeme Morrice Portrait Graeme Morrice
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To look at freezing alcohol duty and at the abolition of the duty escalator?

Baroness Morgan of Cotes Portrait Nicky Morgan
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Mrs Main, I take the hint that you want me back on my feet and moving towards the conclusion of my speech.

I assure the hon. Gentleman that I will give this matter serious consideration in the run-up to the Budget. I shall certainly discuss it with my colleagues in the Treasury, including my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.