Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the proposed alcohol duty system on (a) alcohol consumption, (b) alcohol-related hospitalisations, (c) alcohol-related deaths and (d) other health outcomes.

This question was answered on 19th April 2022
The Government intends to move to a new system that taxes all products in reference to their alcohol content for the first time. This will help to target problem drinking by taxing higher-strength products associated with alcohol-related harm a higher rate of duty.

We are also introducing a reduced rate of duty on low strength drinks below 3.5% ABV to support innovation and responsible drinking. This will encourage manufacturers to develop new products at lower ABVs, giving consumers more options to drink responsibly.

Further detail about the impact of our alcohol duty reforms on public health will be included in a tax information and impact note when the policy is final, or near final, in the usual way.