Waveney MP Peter Aldous has urged the Chancellor of the Exchequer to consider a further cut in beer duty in the 2015 Budget, which would be the third year in a row.

 

The last two beer duty cuts have been a huge boost to the industry, with jobs up, investment up and beer sales up because of the lower duty. A third cut would allow this very important industry to grow.

 

Peter has been campaigning since 2010 for fairness in the pub industry and greater support to breweries.

 

Pledging his continued support for the campaign, Mr Aldous has signed a House of Commons motion (Early Day Motion 625) for the Chancellor to abandon the price hike in beer duty.

 

Peter Aldous MP commented:

 

“Beer duty is now 13% lower than under the tax rises planned by the previous Government, leading to an additional 16,000 jobs and in the first six months following the 2014 Budget, an extra £44m in investment. I hope that the Chancellor will take action again and cut beer duty to protect jobs in the beer industry, help keep pints affordable and support Britain’s pubs.”

 

This follows on from representations Peter made last week on behalf of St Peter’s Brewery near Bungay in questions to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Liz Truss, about smaller breweries being at a disadvantage in the export market as a result of the way Progressive Beer Duty is calculated. Peter is pursuing this matter in letters to both the Minister and the Treasury in search of a solution to alleviate the financial burdens of exporting on smaller breweries and is calling on anyone in the pub industry in the Waveney area with related concerns to contact him so he can take up any issues with Government.