Giles Watling, MP for Clacton, has questioned the Prime Minister on beer duty differentiation and support for pubs. This took place during Prime Minister's Questions on 24th February 2021, the transcript of which is below:
Giles Watling MP:
“My right hon. Friend will know that pubs have been closing all over Britain for decades now, tearing the hearts out of communities. This terrible pandemic has made things even worse. Part of the problem is undercutting by cheap supermarket booze. Surely, now that we are out of the EU, we can do as we please with beer duty. Differentiation in favour of on-sales could deliver great benefits to pubs in communities such as Clacton, at nil cost to the taxpayer. Will my right hon. Friend commit Ministers to looking at that differentiation proposal?”
Prime Minister (Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP)
“My hon. Friend makes an extremely good point, which I am sure will be heard with great interest around the country. There is just such a review being carried out after consulting pub owners, brewers and others, and I know that the Chancellor is looking very closely at the findings."