Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will hold discussions with UNESCO on the potential merits of recognising the (a) production and (b) serving of cask ale as an intangible cultural heritage.

As part of the implementation of the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the UK Government is working closely with the Devolved Governments to create inventories for each of the four nations in the UK; these will combine into one inventory of Living Heritage (or Intangible Cultural Heritage) in the UK.

The inventories are a domestic process and do not require discussion with UNESCO. The potential merits of inclusion are outlined in the UK Government’s consultation response published in April.

We would welcome a submission from the cask ale community on the production and serving of cask ale when we open the call for submissions later this year.