Brewer welcomes Parliamentary debate on beer duty escalator

Leading Welsh brewer Simon Buckley has welcomed the Parliamentary debate calling on the Government to review its 'damaging' policy of the ‘beer duty escalator’.
The debate will be on Thursday, November 1, and has been called by the Backbench Business Committee in response to the ‘Stop the Beer Duty Escalator’ e-petition (www.camra.org.uk/saveyourpint) which currently stands at more than 104,000 signatures.
The escalator increases beer duty by 2% above inflation automatically every year and is making pub-going unaffordable.

As a result, the pub industry is struggling and pubs are closing at an alarming rate of 12 every week in the UK.
Mr Buckley, chief executive of the Llandeilo-based Evan-Evans brewery, said: “Enough is enough. The pub is widely recognised as one of the hubs of local community life. The Government must do more to support the pub industry. The beer escalator is damaging the pub and beer business."
Carmarthen East and Dinefwr MP Jonathon Edwards plans to support the debate as a member of the All Party Beer Group in Parliament.
He said: “"Pubs play a vital role in our communities in promoting social inclusion and binding communities together.
“Consuming alcohol in a controlled environment in a pub is also far better than individuals drinking excessively at home.
“The taxation regime around beer needs to be targeted towards cheap booze at supermarkets rather than an escalator hitting pubs. The escalator pushes the price of a pint well above inflation.”
The motion for debate urges the Government to support Britain's beer and pub sector by conducting a thorough review of the economic and social impact of the beer duty escalator, to report back before the 2013 budget.
Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart said he also hoped to be attending the debate.
He said: “I have always previously supported my colleague Andrew Griffiths, who will be leading the debate. He talks a lot of sense.
“I have always supported local pubs and brewers. They are an important part of our local economy.”

Mr Buckley added: "At a recent lunch with Nick Clegg (Deputy Prime Minster), he admitted that our industry was over-taxed and that duty was too high. Well now, here is the opportunity for him and the Lib-Dems to force the issue and cancel this absurd and harmful tax. I want to pass my brewery to my grandson when the time comes.
"CAMRA has done a magnificent job driving the this campaign and we are grateful to them and their members for all that they have doe to bring this to the attention of the great British public."