Support for the Scotch Whisky Industry

Douglas McAllister Excerpts

Wednesday 12th February 2025 Westminster Hall

[Richard Baker (Glenrothes and Mid Fife) (Lab)]

rose—

[Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)]

rose—

[Graham Leadbitter]

I will give way first to the hon. Member for Glenrothes and Mid Fife (Richard Baker).

--- Later in debate ---

[Graham Leadbitter]

I totally agree with the hon. Member. It is really interesting that the industry is diversifying into new brands, new products and new styles of whisky being produced in traditional distilleries.

[Douglas McAllister]

The hon. Member will be aware that 90% of Scotch whisky is exported. Does he welcome this Government’s decision to give Scotch whisky protected status? Following on from that, Brazil granting special status to Scotch whisky is set to give the industry a boost of at least £25 million. Does the hon. Member agree that the UK Government are removing trade barriers and unlocking global markets, and does he welcome selling Scotland to the world, rather than just selling Scotland to itself?

[Graham Leadbitter]

Absolutely. As I have mentioned, 43 bottles of whisky are exported every second—that will be 75,000 bottles of whisky by the time we have finished this debate. That is a phenomenal export contribution not just to Scotland’s economy, but to the wider UK economy at the moment. I welcome the efforts made by the UK Government in the area of trade; the question is whether more can be done, and whether those efforts can be made more quickly.

--- Later in debate ---

[The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs (Daniel Zeichner)]

It is a pleasure to serve with you in the Chair, Dame Siobhain. I thank the hon. Member for Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey (Graham Leadbitter) for securing the debate and providing such an excellent and thorough introduction. I commend my hon. Friends the Members for Paisley and Renfrewshire North (Alison Taylor) and for Livingston (Gregor Poynton) on their contributions. I am sure that they will all be delighted to hear how much I enjoyed my visit in the summer to the Glendronach distillery in Aberdeenshire.

The Government recognise and celebrate the global success of the Scotch whisky industry, which is of historical and cultural significance and plays a huge role in the UK’s economy and balance of trade. In 2023, exports of Scotch reached almost £6 billion in value. That success comes from the industry’s well-earned reputation for quality and high standards, and we are committed to working with the industry to champion and protect that reputation.

[Douglas McAllister]

The Scotch whisky industry supports 41,000 jobs across Scotland, many thousands of which are in my West Dunbartonshire constituency, including at Chivas Brothers in Dumbarton and Auchentoshan in Clydebank. The October Budget backed Scottish whisky, introducing measures called for by the industry, and I welcome the Government’s move to address long-running discrepancies in the treatment of the Scotch whisky industry by ending duty stamps, and to reduce and deliver parity in the fees for the spirit drinks verification scheme. Can the Minister share when details of that very positive announcement on reduced fees will be confirmed?

[Daniel Zeichner]

I will come to the Budget measures in a moment, but first I endorse my hon. Friend’s point about the number of jobs the industry supports—41,000 in Scotland and a further 25,000 across the rest of the UK, many in rural areas.

Collectively, whisky distilleries are now Scotland’s most visited tourist attraction, bringing in thousands of domestic and international tourists every year, largely to rural areas, and creating many opportunities for employment. Whisky is also a hugely important trade good. In 2023, the equivalent of 53 bottles of Scotch every second were sold overseas. That is important to delivering growth at home, which is why we are committed to supporting the Scotch whisky industry to export its fine products to overseas markets. We do that by leveraging free trade agreements and removing barriers to market access across the world. We are currently working on no fewer than 29 markets.

Oral Answers to Questions

Douglas McAllister Excerpts

Thursday 6th February 2025 Commons Chamber

The Solicitor General was asked—

[Douglas McAllister (West Dunbartonshire) (Lab)]

1. What steps she is taking to ensure adequate numbers of Crown Prosecution Service prosecutors.

[The Solicitor General (Lucy Rigby)]

I would like to start by congratulating US Attorney General Pam Bondi on her confirmation yesterday. The Attorney General and I look forward to working closely with her on our long list of shared priorities.

CPS prosecutors perform vital work to serve the public and deliver justice for victims. We have taken steps to strengthen the CPS workforce, including by boosting staff numbers in specialist rape and serious sexual assault units, as well as by being tough on crime, supporting victims and restoring confidence in the criminal justice system. All these things are part of this Government’s mission to make our streets safe, and the CPS has a key role to play in that mission.

[Douglas McAllister]

Will the Solicitor General join me in welcoming this Government’s increased funding of the Crown Prosecution Service for specialist sexual offence prosecution units? Does she agree that we must continue to tackle violence against women and girls across our nation, and will she join me in paying tribute to the dedication of our prosecutors and police on the front line who are confronting these crimes?

[The Solicitor General]

Absolutely; I am delighted to join my hon. Friend in paying tribute to police and prosecutors not only in his constituency, but right across the United Kingdom. He is right to welcome the increased funding that we have secured for the CPS. Our recently agreed settlement will ensure that the CPS can recruit more specialist prosecutors, delivering that vital work and putting those who commit these abhorrent crimes behind bars.