The British Beer & Pub Association welcomed the Chancellor's pledge to freeze alcohol duties in yesterday's Budget.
Philip Hammond announced in the House of Commons yesterday that duties on beer, wine, spirits and cider will be frozen. He then jokingly said to the Speaker of the House, John Bercow MP: "A pint of beer will be 12 pence less- Merry Christmas, Mr. Speaker!"
The British Beer & Pub Association told Blasting News Mr. Hammond's decision to freeze beer duty and cancel his intended rise is an early Christmas present for beer drinkers and pubgoers that is worth £117 million this year and in subsequent years.
"It will secure 3,000 jobs in pubs and the wider beer supply chain"
They added: "It will secure 3,000 jobs in pubs and the wider beer supply chain that would otherwise have been lost. This real-terms duty cut shows he has listened to our campaign and the concerns of pubs and pubgoers, and acknowledged the special role that beer and pubs play in the nation's social life."
Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn attacked yesterday's Budget, claiming no one will be better off and misery will continue. He added: "Pay is lower than it was in 2010 and wages are falling again.
"Economic growth is at its lowest since 2009. This is a record of failure with a forecast of more to come."
Tobacco duty escalator will be increased from 2019 following the Chancellor's Budget.
Mr. Hammond said excessive alcohol consumption has been caused by easy access to cheap products like white ciders, and he said he intends to tackle this growing problem through these new levies.
"This is absolutely the right step"
The British Beer & Pub Association said: "With over eighty per cent of the beer drunk in the UK and brewed in the UK, he has understood the important capital investment made in the UK by our members.
"This is absolutely the right step towards a fairer deal for Britain's beer drinkers and pubgoers and a vote of confidence in a very British manufacturing industry worth £23 billion to the UK economy. Beer drinkers will raise a glass to the Chancellor tonight!"
They added that this expansion of the pub-specific rate is also very welcome and continues to regard the unfair rates burden experienced by pubs.
According to the British Beer & Pub Association, shifting from the Retail Price Index to the Consumer Price Index two years earlier than anticipated from April 2018 is very welcome, as is the declaration on three yearly evaluations.
The pressure group said the Government is listening to their anxieties and their action will save pubs £37 million this year alone.
They concluded: "The announcement that revaluations will happen more frequently is good news too, as high rates bills for pubs often lag behind the trading realities."
"The failed policy of austerity remains"
Mr. Corbyn said: "The failed policy of austerity remains. The poorest ten per cent will lose twenty per cent of their income by 2022, whereas the richest will only lose one per cent.
This is nothing more than tossing fuel onto the fire."
The Labour Leader accused the Government of inflicting long-term economic pain and said the Conservative Party's policies were short of the £6 billion worth of investment his party promised.
Other policies that the Chancellor announced today included a four per cent rise in the National Living Wage, which will increase from £7.50 an hour to £7.83 an hour from April 2018. Mr. Hammond said this measure would deliver a pay rise for two million workers and stressed that income inequality is at its lowest for thirty years.
From April 2018, the income tax allowance will rise to £11,850. The Chancellor said this tax cut will ensure that National Living Wage earners will be £3,800 better off.
He reiterated that the Government's tax cuts have helped people save £1,075 a year since 2010.
He reduced the seven day wait for Universal Credit claimants to five days and pledged £1.5 billion to deliver this announcement.
Mr. Hammond attacked Labour for trapping 1.4 million people on benefits for a decade.
