Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the beer and pub sector on the UK’s soft power.

The UK has consistently ranked within the top three countries in indices that measure soft power. The UK pub and beer industry are key assets for the UK economy and society and contribute to our soft power. The pub is also a key tourism destination for many visiting the UK, with over 45,000 pubs in the UK. Beer and pubs contribute £34.3 billion to the UK economy and we export over 1 billion pints of beer to over 100 different countries annually. The Soft Power Council, launched by the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in January, which brings together some of the most influential figures across soft power and foreign policy, are steering and advising the Government on better harnessing our world class sectors.