Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Rutley and Andrew Griffiths

Thursday 21st February 2019 Commons Chamber

[David Rutley]

There are strict penalties available already, but we will be strengthening sentences for real attempts at animal cruelty from six months to five years. We are just waiting for the right time and legislative vehicle to do that. I know that in Northern Ireland there are already strong standards in place.

[Andrew Griffiths (Burton) (Con)]

3. What steps he is taking to tackle serious and organised waste crime.

Budget Resolutions and Economic Situation

Debate between David Rutley and Andrew Griffiths

Thursday 21st March 2013 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Griffiths (Burton) (Con)]

I recognise that time is short so I will do my level best to keep my comments as brief as possible. I speak as the Member of Parliament for Burton, the home of British brewing, and as the chairman of the all-party parliamentary beer group. It is therefore incumbent on me to put on record my thanks, and those of the brewing industry, for the Chancellor’s momentous decision yesterday to scrap the beer duty escalator and cut beer duty by 1p. We cannot underestimate the importance of the decision for brewers, for publicans and for beer drinkers across the country.

In his speech today, the shadow Chancellor dismissed the 1p cut in a bit of a flippant way, but I think that the 1,745 people who are employed in brewing and pubs in his constituency will be hugely grateful to the Chancellor, who has shown himself to be on the side of the publicans and beer drinkers of this country. The previous Chancellor of the Exchequer appeared on posters in pubs up and down the country stating that he was “barred from this pub”, because his Government had chosen to introduce the beer duty escalator, which has resulted in beer duty rising by an incredible 42% since 2008. That has contributed to the closure of many of our communities’ pubs in that period.

I am therefore delighted to support a coalition Government who have done more for brewers and pubs than any other Government for a generation. I went to the House of Commons Library yesterday and spoke to the Treasury expert. I asked him when a Chancellor had last cut the duty on beer. He replied, “Mr Griffiths, this might take some time, as it was so long ago. I shall have to go away and research it.” He came back with the answer: Derick Heathcoat-Amory was the last Chancellor to cut the duty on beer, in 1959. Someone who was just old enough to enjoy a pint of great British beer at that reduced price in 1959 would now be 72 years old.

It is important to applaud the campaign that has led to these changes. As the chairman of the all-party parliamentary beer group, I want to thank colleagues from all across the House who have supported it. Members on both sides have worked incredibly hard on behalf of their brewers, publicans and beer lovers. We all recognise the importance of the community pub and the role it plays in the heart of our constituencies. This measure provides us with a real opportunity to support those pubs.

[David Rutley]

I join many others in paying tribute to the great work my hon. Friend has taken forward. I received one tweet yesterday from the Wharf in Macclesfield saying this was

“a good Budget for pubs, the brewing trade and all industry”.

Has my hon. Friend received similar plaudits from people across the country?

[Andrew Griffiths]

I thank my hon. Friend for the support he has given to pubs and breweries as part of this campaign. I agree: I have been overwhelmed by the number of publicans, brewers and members of the Campaign for Real Ale and beer lovers who have welcomed this announcement. He quotes one brewer and I will quote another—Belinda Sutton from Elgood & Sons in Wisbech in Cambridgeshire who said:

“The result could be the saving of our brewery, as this was just what we needed to…stimulate trade in our pubs and hopefully increase production.”

That is so important: every brewery and every pub in our constituency are important employers, so it is fantastic that we can give them this boost. I am absolutely sure that when this cut is introduced on Sunday, beer drinkers across the country will be raising a glass to the Chancellor and toasting his health.

I am hugely sorry that the Economic Secretary is not in his place on the Front Bench, as we owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Within days of him becoming a Minister—I think it was his first ministerial duty—he spoke in a Backbench Business Committee debate to which many Members contributed. He said then that he was listening. He is a listening Minister who has listened on behalf of pubs and brewers across the land.

I would also like to pay tribute to CAMRA and its thousands of supporters who took part in this campaign and who participated in the mass lobby organised by Emily Ryan and Jonathan Mail to explain to Members of Parliament just how important their community pubs and great British beer are to them. I commend, too, the work of the Beer and Pub Association, which works tirelessly to build a bright future for pubs and breweries across the country.

I end my comments there. Let me just say that this is a great Budget for brewers, a great Budget for beer and a great Budget for beer drinkers in Britain.