David Ruffley MP Meets With Greene King To Discuss Beer Tax

David Ruffley MP will meet with Greene King's Head of Communications on Friday 21 January to listen to their concerns about taxes and the future of the British pub. The Treasury is currently conducting a detailed review of alcohol taxation, which aims to balance the need to tackle problem drinking without unfairly penalising responsible drinkers or ignoring the social and economic importance of pubs. The review is ongoing, but Ministers have already announced plans for an additional duty on high strength beers and a reduction in duty on low-strength beers.

Mr Ruffley said: 'Pubs, like village shops, churches and community centres, can be invaluable assets. In rural areas like ours they are often the centre of community life, helping to strengthen community relationships and encouraging social cohesion.'

'I know that many people are concerned about the future of pubs, both in our local area and across the country. I want to secure the future of the great British pub, by ensuring that the Government sticks to its commitment to support these great institutions.'

'The Government has introduced a wide range of measures that they believe pubs could benefit from, including: increasing the small business rate relief scheme, giving local authorities the power to levy business rate discounts and taking action to reduce corporation tax and tackle red-tape.'

'The Department for Communities and Local Government is taking forward work on the ownership and running of community assets in the Localism Bill. Ministers want to provide people and community organisations with a fair chance to take over facilities and assets that are important to them, such as pubs.'