Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will cease charging (a) distilleries and (b) breweries duty on the alcohol that they produce in the event that they switch production and utilise that alcohol to make sanitiser.

Alcohol produced for an approved medical, scientific or industrial purpose is already exempt from duty. Organisations wishing to produce alcohol for such a purpose will need to seek prior approval from HMRC.

In light of the current situation, HMRC are fast-tracking applications and temporarily relaxing controls. Licensed distillers and gin producers operating in excise warehouses may now use their stocks to produce hand sanitiser without HMRC approval, provided it is made to WHO standards or the alcohol used is denatured to prescribed formulations.

Further information can be found on GOV.UK:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/producing-hand-sanitiser-and-gel-for-coronavirus-covid-19