Marcus Jones MP has called on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to back Britain’s beer and pub sector by calling time on planned punitive tax increases in the Budget.

Marcus has signed a House of Commons motion supporting pleas from industry and consumer groups, including the British Beer & Pub Association, the Society of Independent Brewers and the Campaign for Real Ale, for the Chancellor to abandon the planned +5% hike in beer duty, saving 16,000 jobs over the next three years.

According to new analysis by leading economists Oxford Economics for the BBPA:

•            The beer and pub sector sustains 1080 jobs in the Nuneaton constituency.

•            This includes 361 jobs for 16 – 24 year olds, who have been hit hard by the economic slowdown.

•            The sector adds £33.7 million to the local economy.

•            The sector also contributes £8.1 million in taxes to the exchequer.

•            In total the beer and pub sector supports almost 1 million UK jobs and 46% of those employed in the sector are 16 to 24 year olds.

Commenting on the campaign, Marcus said: “These figures show how important the brewing and pub sector is to Nuneaton. I hope the Chancellor will take action to protect these jobs by scrapping the beer duty escalator started by the previous Government. Beer duty has increased by 42% in the last 4 years and is crippling our community pubs.  Taking this action would help our much-loved local pubs, the communities they serve and the important local facilities they provide.”