Beer Duty Escalator
11:42 pm
Gavin Williamson (South Staffordshire, Conservative)
It is a great privilege to have secured this debate this evening. It is an even greater pleasure to see so many hon. Members in their places as we start this Adjournment debate at this late hour. One could say that an Adjournment debate is akin to an after-hours lock-in, but probably without so much pleasure or enjoyment. We are all here because we care passionately about both the brewing industry and, of course, our pubs right across our constituencies and across the nation. We care about them because we know they are part of the fabric of our nation. We all have concerns about the beer duty escalator and the impact it is having on the many pubs and breweries across the land.
We have to go back to 2008 to see the introduction by the last Labour Government introduced of the beer duty escalator, which saw beer duty rise by inflation plus 2% each year. This, sadly, has been carried on, and it is having a detrimental impact on our pubs and breweries.