Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they plan to take to counter the expected increase in alcohol consumption following cuts in alcohol duty in the 2015 Budget, as implied by the HM Treasury Policy Costings calculations.
Answered by Lord Deighton
The government recognises the health and social harms associated with those who consume excess alcohol. The government has therefore taken targeted action through the alcohol duty system to encourage responsible alcohol consumption. For example, the government increased duty on super strength lager.
The Government is also taking other action to reduce alcohol related harms. This includes the creation of 20 Local Alcohol Action Areas with the aim of reducing alcohol health and crime harms by encouraging partnerships between industry, local agencies and the voluntary sector. Licensing changes have also been made to help tackle irresponsible alcohol consumption. For example, Local Councils have been given the ability to collect a Late Night Levy from alcohol retailers to contribute towards the cost of policing.
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether HM Treasury will publish the dates, agendas and minutes of any meetings that ministers and officials in that department have had regarding alcohol duty with representatives of (1) the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, (2) the Scotch Whisky Association, (3) the British Beer and Pub Association, (4) Diageo, (5) SAB Miller, and (6) the Portman Group, between 1 April 2014 and 31 January 2015.
Answered by Lord Deighton
Treasury ministers and officials routinely meet with a wide range of stakeholders as part of the policy development process. HM Treasury routinely publishes details of Ministerial and Permanent Secretary meetings with external organisations on its website[1].
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated total loss to HM Treasury over the next five years as a direct result of ending the alcohol duty escalator in 2014.
Answered by Lord Deighton
Budget 2014 announced a cut in beer duty of 2 per cent, the freezing of duty rates on spirits and cider and the cancellation of the alcohol duty escalator for wine. The duty escalator for beer ended in 2013. The impact on alcohol revenues of the changes made at Budget 2014 were estimated as shown below[1]:
2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | |
Exchequer impact £m | -290 | -295 | -305 | -315 | -325 |
[1] Link to Budget 2014 document can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/budget-2014-documents