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Written Question
Alcoholic Drinks: Excise Duties
Tuesday 22nd July 2025

Asked by: Daniel Francis (Labour - Bexleyheath and Crayford)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered the potential merits of increasing draft duty relief for (a) consumers (b pubs and (c breweries in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Chancellor’s draught rate cut at Autumn Budget 2024 applied to approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs.

Draught beer and cider now pay 13.9% less in duty than their packaged equivalents – a 50% increase on the previous draught discount of 9.2%. This took a penny of duty off a typical strength pint.

Draught beer and cider now pay 13.9% less in duty than their packaged equivalents – a 50% increase on the previous draught discount of 9.2%.

The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events. The Government welcomes representations from the beer and pub sectors in advance of the Budget.