MPs back call for duty cut on small brewers' beers

Almost 100 MPs have backed an Early Day Motion calling for an immediate duty cut of 30p a pint on beers produced by small brewers.

The move, proposed by Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker, would encourage beer drinkers to drink their local ales and help struggling smaller brewers to survive, according to the MPs.

As well as a sliding scale of duty for ale produced by small, local brewers, the MPs are calling for duty to be removed altogether on beer from Britain's 300 microbreweries.

As the trade has been pointing out for some time, about 33p of every pint of beer bought in a pub goes on duty.

Now the MPs backing the proposal hope progressive duty will stem the tide of foreign lagers in British pubs and instead encourage pubs to stock Britain's regional bitters, ales and stouts.

Mr Baker said: "Once, if you went to any town in the country, you would find a different brew, and we'd like to bring that back. It would add colour to the country. You don't want to get the same pint in Kettering as you do in Kilmarnock."

Consumer group the Campaign for Real Ale has welcomed the support of MPs. Mike Benner, head of campaigns and communications, said: "It is extremely difficult for tiny local brewers to compete and it makes sense that they should pay less tax than the big boys in the name of competition and consumer choice."

In last year's pre-Budget statement Chancellor Gordon Brown said he was "minded" to introduce a sliding scale of tax for small brewers in the next Budget, due in April.

The trade has said it ultimately wants a beer duty cut for everyone to bring the UK into line with European levels.