Support for the Scotch Whisky Industry
Debate between Graham Leadbitter and Douglas McAllister(1 week, 3 days ago)
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Graham Leadbitter
I will give way first to the hon. Member for Glenrothes and Mid Fife (Richard Baker).
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.