Asked by: Martin Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the Government's plans are to increase trade with Nigeria; and what recent assessment she has made of the potential for an enhanced trade partnership with Nigeria along the lines of the partnership proposed for Brazil.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Increasing and promoting trade with Nigeria is a priority for the UK Government. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Nigeria was £3.5 billion last year (ending Q3 2021), an increase of 1.9% or £65 million from the previous year. At the most recent bi-annual UK-Nigeria Economic Development Forum government to government dialogue, held on 26 April, Ministers from both countries agreed to start a working group to discuss how to enhance the bilateral trading relationship.
Officials are working to support British business access foreign exchange facilities through the Economic Development Forum and the associated Finance and Financial Services Working Group.
From 2016 to 2021 UK exports of spirits to Nigeria increased by 92.1%. DIT continues to offer a wide range of support for British alcohol and spirit producers wishing to export into Nigeria. Through our work, import adjustment tax is now no longer applicable on Scotch Whisky exports to Nigeria.
Asked by: Martin Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate she has made of the potential to increase UK spirits exports to Nigeria.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Increasing and promoting trade with Nigeria is a priority for the UK Government. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Nigeria was £3.5 billion last year (ending Q3 2021), an increase of 1.9% or £65 million from the previous year. At the most recent bi-annual UK-Nigeria Economic Development Forum government to government dialogue, held on 26 April, Ministers from both countries agreed to start a working group to discuss how to enhance the bilateral trading relationship.
Officials are working to support British business access foreign exchange facilities through the Economic Development Forum and the associated Finance and Financial Services Working Group.
From 2016 to 2021 UK exports of spirits to Nigeria increased by 92.1%. DIT continues to offer a wide range of support for British alcohol and spirit producers wishing to export into Nigeria. Through our work, import adjustment tax is now no longer applicable on Scotch Whisky exports to Nigeria.
Asked by: Martin Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of (a) reducing or (b) removing non-tariff barriers faced by UK spirits exporters.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
British exports of spirits amounted to £5.7 billion in 2021. We are removing trade barriers so that the industry can grow further, enabling our world-class spirits to be enjoyed across the globe – from securing geographic indicator protection for Scotch Whisky in countries like Indonesia, to streamlining the process for importers in countries like Nigeria – and we are negotiating trade deals that will reduce barriers for British spirits exporters, like our deal with Australia that includes tariff free exports on all products including whisky and gin from the United Kingdom.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies that a 4 per cent alcohol by volume pint of beer or cider contains more alcohol than a Scotch Whisky cocktail but raises less duty under his Department's reform proposals; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government intends to move to a new progressive system of duty that taxes all products in reference to the litres of pure alcohol they contain, with products with higher concentration of alcohol paying a higher rate of duty per unit. As part of this approach, the Government is cutting duty on lower ABV spirits-based drinks, such as pre-packaged gin and tonics, and is increasing duty on higher ABV products, such as strong ‘white’ cider and fortified wine.The Government received evidence supporting this approach during its call for evidence held in 2020. As set out in the summary of responses published in October 2021, public health groups cited the correlation between cheap, high strength spirits (such as vodka) and alcohol-related harms, as the volume of drink needed to reach intoxication is smaller with higher strength drinks. The Government is therefore addressing these concerns.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking through the GREAT campaign to promote the UK overseas.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The GREAT campaign promotes the best of the UK worldwide and has been used in over 145 countries to drive employment, growth and influence. GREAT delivers via five primary campaigns:
Overall UK Perceptions, led by the Cabinet Office and delivered with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (GREAT Challenge Fund). This campaign uses our soft power assets to grow UK influence and promote UK values by positioning the UK as a place of opportunity. It promotes UK culture, the UK’s science and sustainability credentials, creativity and design, LGBTQ+ rights and much more. It also supports events including the Queen’s Jubilee, the Commonwealth Games and Unboxed.
Tourism, delivered by VisitBritain. This campaign attracts international visitors to the UK, helping to support 3.2 million jobs and grow the UK’s position as one of the most visited countries on earth.
Trade and Investment, delivered by the Department for International Trade. This campaign drives investment and export promotion. It also promotes UK food and drink such as Welsh lamb, Scotch whisky, Northern Irish gin, and Scottish salmon through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Study, delivered by the British Council. The Study UK campaign promotes UK universities to the world and encourages international students to study in the UK.
Live/work, this campaign attracts the best and brightest in science, research and technology to live and work in the UK. It supports the UK government's ambition to secure the UK’s status as a science and tech superpower by 2030 including the Government commitment to increase R&D expenditure to 2.4% of GDP by 2027.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) Scotch Whisky distilleries and (b) reforms to alcohol taxation that widens the differential between spirits and categories such as beer and cider on (i) employment opportunities and (ii) local economies.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has announced several changes to alcohol duty that will support the Scotch Whisky sector. At the Budget, spirits duty was frozen, making freezes continuous since 2017. As part of our alcohol duty review, the Government intends to move to a system where all products are taxed in reference to the litres of pure alcohol they contain, making the taxation of other products more consistent with Scotch. Above 8.5% ABV there is to be no differentiation between product categories, providing a more level playing field between spirits and other products. These changes will narrow the difference between Scotch, wines and high-strength ciders.
The Government is continuing to engage with interested stakeholders on these reforms. A consultation ran from 27 October 2021 to 30 January 2022, and the Government is now analysing the responses. A tax information and impact note will be published following the consultation when the policy is final, or near final, in the usual way.
Asked by: Martin Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of alcohol taxation reforms with the Government's commitment that reform will support the Scotch whisky industry and the jobs its maintains.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has announced several changes to alcohol duty that will support the Scotch Whisky sector. At the Budget, spirits duty was frozen, making freezes continuous since 2017. As part of our alcohol duty review, the Government intends to move to a system where all products are taxed in reference to the litres of pure alcohol they contain, making the taxation of other products more consistent with Scotch. Above 8.5% ABV there is to be no differentiation between product categories, providing a more level playing field between spirits and other products. These changes will narrow the difference between Scotch, wines and high-strength ciders.
Further detail about the impact of reforms on consumers will be included in a tax information and impact note when the policy is final, or near final, in the usual way.
Asked by: Martin Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment he has made of the effect on the costs to (a) beer and (b) whisky consumers of proposed reforms to alcohol taxation.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has announced several changes to alcohol duty that will support the Scotch Whisky sector. At the Budget, spirits duty was frozen, making freezes continuous since 2017. As part of our alcohol duty review, the Government intends to move to a system where all products are taxed in reference to the litres of pure alcohol they contain, making the taxation of other products more consistent with Scotch. Above 8.5% ABV there is to be no differentiation between product categories, providing a more level playing field between spirits and other products. These changes will narrow the difference between Scotch, wines and high-strength ciders.
Further detail about the impact of reforms on consumers will be included in a tax information and impact note when the policy is final, or near final, in the usual way.
Asked by: Martin Docherty-Hughes (Scottish National Party - West Dunbartonshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he plans to take to support the Scotch whisky industry through proposals to reform alcohol taxation.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has announced several changes to alcohol duty that will support the Scotch Whisky sector. At the Budget, spirits duty was frozen, making freezes continuous since 2017. As part of our alcohol duty review, the Government intends to move to a system where all products are taxed in reference to the litres of pure alcohol they contain, making the taxation of other products more consistent with Scotch. Above 8.5% ABV there is to be no differentiation between product categories, providing a more level playing field between spirits and other products. These changes will narrow the difference between Scotch, wines and high-strength ciders.
Further detail about the impact of reforms on consumers will be included in a tax information and impact note when the policy is final, or near final, in the usual way.
Asked by: Wendy Chamberlain (Liberal Democrat - North East Fife)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the evidential basis is for how the proposals to reform alcohol taxation will support improved public health, in the context of the comparative number of units of alcohol in a (a) four per cent ABV pint of beer or cider and (b) a Scotch Whisky highball or in a gin and tonic.
Answered by Helen Whately - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government intends to move to a new progressive system of duty that taxes all products in reference to the litres of pure alcohol they contain, with products with higher concentration of alcohol paying a higher rate of duty per unit. As part of this approach, the Government is cutting duty on lower ABV spirits-based drinks, such as pre-packaged gin and tonics.
The Government received evidence supporting this approach during its call for evidence held in 2020. As set out in the summary of responses published in October 2021, public health groups cited the correlation between cheap, high strength spirits (such as vodka) and alcohol-related harms, as the volume of drink needed to reach intoxication is smaller with higher strength drinks. The Government has a responsibility to address these concerns.