John called for beer tax cut a year ago
South Yorkshire MP and former pubs minister John Healey has welcomed news that the price of pint is coming down.
The Chancellor announced a beer tax cut in the Budget today.
Mr Healey asked him to do just that on Budget Day 2012, in the first Budget 2013 submission, to stop pub closures and falling beer sales.
The beer-loving MP repeated his calls earlier this month in joining a campaign calling for a freeze in beer duty organised by the British Beer & Pub Association, CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) and SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers).
Mr Healey told the Chancellor earlier this month: “Beer is a great British industry and tradition; the temporary beer duty escalator was set to end last year and is now doing great damage to our pubs and brewers. Every year you extend the escalator makes it harder for the industry to recover.
“British beer lovers – like me – are also losing out from higher prices and company failures.
“Change direction; axe the escalator; and for once do something that people will welcome in your Budget on 20 March.”
Mr Healey said today:
“The beer and pub industry is worth millions to the local economy, and people rightly value their local as the hub of their community.
“I want this to be the first step the Government take towards recognising this and giving a lot more support to pubs.”