Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will bring forward legislation to enable pubs to serve take away pints permanently.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
In order to continue to support the hospitality sector, the Government recently announced the extension of the temporary off-sales regulatory easement - set out in the Business and Planning Act 2020 - until 31 March 2025. This extension enables holders of licences that only cover ‘on sales’ to continue to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises, including ‘takeaway pints’, for a further 18 months.
The Government is considering next steps and continues to keep the Licensing Act 2003 under review.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 7 September 2023 to Question 197611 on Beer: Excise Duties, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to provide an exemption to paying full duty on containers for on-trade premises whose takeaway sales are ancillary to the sale for consumption on the premises.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The core objective of Draught Relief is to recognise the cultural importance of pubs and other on-trade venues as community hubs and to encourage responsible drinking in supervised settings.
Draught Relief does not prevent pubs and other on-trade venues from selling takeaway pints. Businesses have the ability to purchase full duty paid containers should they wish to decant from the container and sell beverages for their customers to consume off-site.
The Government believes it is right that beverages that are sold to be consumed off-site should pay the full rate of duty like their equivalents sold in off-trade venues. We remain open to considering any additional suggestions the industry may have which would result in the full duty being paid for beverages consumed off premises.
The Government will evaluate the impact of the new rates and structures three years after the changes take effect on 1 August 2023. This will allow time to understand the impacts in the alcohol market and for HMRC to gather useful and accurate data with which to evaluate.
Asked by: Matt Vickers (Conservative - Stockton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to ensure that the labelling of alcohol products includes calorie information.
Answered by Neil O'Brien
In ‘Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives’, published in 2020, we committed to consult on whether to introduce calorie labelling on prepacked alcohol and alcohol sold in on-trade businesses such as pubs and restaurants.
Asked by: John Hayes (Conservative - South Holland and The Deepings)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he is taking steps to increase financial support for pubs in rural areas.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government believes that pubs make an important contribution to our culture, fostering a sense of place and community, and the UK economy.
Our ‘Brexit Pubs Guarantee,’ confirms that the duty on a draught pint will always be lower than its equivalent in a supermarket. And the new alcohol duty system implemented in August of this year included a new Draught Relief that provides a significant duty discount on alcohol sold in containers of 20 litres or more in the on-trade.
In addition, pubs will benefit from business rates support worth £13.6bn over the next five years, including a more generous Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief scheme that has increased from 50% to 75% relief in 2023-24.
The Government is also funding a wide range of community assets, including pubs, through the Community Ownership Fund. To date, the Fund has allocated £36.9m to 150 projects, including 23 rural pubs.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will take steps to amend planning regulations to strengthen protections for pubs.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government recognises the importance of local pubs to their communities and there are strong protections in place through the planning system. The demolition or change of use of a pub always requires planning permission. Local planning authorities have strong enforcement powers to tackle breaches of planning control, including the ability to issue enforcement notices which can require the construction of a building which, subject to certain conditions, is as similar as possible to the demolished building.
Asked by: Michael Fabricant (Conservative - Lichfield)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will introduce legislation to enable Ministers to make one-off changes to (a) pubs and (b) other licensed premises' opening hours for special events.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Licensing Act 2003 already allows the Home Secretary to make legislation for blanket relaxations of licensing hours for “an occasion of exceptional international, national, or local significance”.
The Government continues to keep the Licensing Act 2003 under review and works closely with licensing practitioners to ensure the regime remains fit for purpose and meets emerging challenges.
Asked by: Duncan Baker (Conservative - North Norfolk)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has had recent discussions with relevant stakeholders on providing increased financial support for pubs in the Autumn Statement 2023.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury ministers and officials regularly engage with stakeholders as an important part of the policy development process.
The Government believes that pubs make an important contribution to our culture, fostering a sense of place and community, and the UK economy.
Our ‘Brexit Pubs Guarantee,’ confirms that the duty on a draught pint will always be lower than its equivalent in a supermarket. And the new alcohol duty system implemented in August of this year included a new Draught Relief that provides a significant duty discount on alcohol sold in containers of 20 litres or more in the on-trade.
In addition, pubs will benefit from business rates support worth £13.6bn over the next five years, including a more generous Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief scheme that has increased from 50% to 75% relief in 2023-24.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has received representations from (a) CAMRA and (b) organisers of beer and cider festivals on the effect of the draught relief provisions in the Finance (No. 2) Act 2023 on their ability to sell alcoholic drinks in sealed containers of less than 20 litres during such events.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
My officials and I have engaged extensively with members of the beer and cider industries, including CAMRA, throughout the policy development of the alcohol reforms. This includes discussions about Draught Relief.
The core objective of Draught Relief is to recognise the cultural importance of pubs and other on-trade venues as community hubs and to encourage responsible drinking in supervised settings.
The current policy does not prevent pubs and other on-trade venues from selling takeaway pints. Businesses have the ability to purchase full duty paid containers should they wish to decant from the container and sell beverages for their customers to consume off-site.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to extend the draught beer relief to takeaway sales by licensed premises whose primary business is the sale of draught products for consumption on the premises.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
My officials and I have engaged extensively with members of the beer and cider industries, including CAMRA, throughout the policy development of the alcohol reforms. This includes discussions about Draught Relief.
The core objective of Draught Relief is to recognise the cultural importance of pubs and other on-trade venues as community hubs and to encourage responsible drinking in supervised settings.
The current policy does not prevent pubs and other on-trade venues from selling takeaway pints. Businesses have the ability to purchase full duty paid containers should they wish to decant from the container and sell beverages for their customers to consume off-site.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce financial assistance programmes to aid in the (1) recovery, and (2) sustainability, of food and beverage businesses.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Government recognises the pressures faced by food and drink manufacturing businesses, which account for nearly 20% of UK manufacturing. The Autumn Statement 2022 announced a package of changes to business rates worth £13.6bn over the next 5 years.
Government also works with the British Business Bank to help SMEs access finance. For example, the Recovery Loan Scheme helps smaller businesses, including those in the food and beverage sector, access loans and other kinds of finance up to £2 million per business group so they can grow and invest.
SMEs can access a range of guidance via the free Business Support Helpline and network of Growth Hubs across England.
Finally, the Brexit Pubs Guarantee announced in the Chancellor’s Spring Budget secures the pledge that pubs will always pay less alcohol duty than supermarkets going forwards.