Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimates have been made for the net financial benefit to the pub industry of the reduction in beer duty in the 2014 Budget.

Budget 2014 cut the tax on a typical pint of beer by one penny. This will support pubs as the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) estimate nearly two thirds of the alcohol sold in pubs is beer. After the beer duty cut at Budget 2013, a BBPA survey suggested 76% of their members increased their investment and 61% employed more staff.

Some pubs have diversified away from beer and these pubs will benefit from the duty on ordinary cider and spirits being frozen this year, as well as from ending the wine duty escalator.