Alcohol duty ‘escalator’ increases were overshadowed by the minimum pricing proposal, says Alan Powell.
Once again there was a perceived lack of clarity about what the Chancellor announced in the Budget Statement concerning duty increases on oil and alcohol. Confirming the scrapping of the fuel duty escalator and introduction of the Fair Fuel Stabilizer he also stated that he did not propose to make any further changes to the fuel duty plans already set out but gave no further details. This actually means that a duty increase of 3.02 pence per litre of fuel will take effect on 1 August this year. In relation to alcohol the Chancellor announced publication of an Alcohol Strategy to address the problem of alcohol abuse but...
