Whisky: Scotland

(asked on 31st January 2022) - View Source

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he will take to ensure that the Alcohol Duty Review supports the Scotch whisky sector.


Answered by
Helen Whately Portrait
Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 3rd February 2022

As announced at the Budget, the duty rates on spirits will be frozen for another year. This will save consumers 52p on a 70cl bottle of Scotch, and £845 million over the coming years. Cuts and freezes at eight of the last nine budgets means a bottle of Scotch is £2.72 cheaper than it would have been had prices risen with inflation, and means that spirits duty is at its lowest rate in real terms since 1918.

As part of our alcohol duty review, we have announced further reforms which aim to support the Scotch whisky sector. To achieve a more level playing field, the Government intends to move to tax all alcoholic products in reference to the litres of pure alcohol they contain, as currently happens for spirits, and to reduce the duty differential between wines and spirits. This will provide a more consistent treatment between spirits, wines and stronger beers.

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