Justin Tomlinson MP today welcomed the launch by the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG) of an inquiry into beer tax fraud and its reduction following the recent publication of a consultation paper on the issue by HMRC.
A panel of Parliamentarians who are members of the APPBG will invite the views of those who may be affected and hear evidence from all parties. Brewers, enforcement authorities and other experts will be invited to give evidence from the ground and the panel will visit Dover to consider the challenges faced by Customs officers there.
The Panel will present its conclusions to Treasury ministers, offering recommendations based on the evidence taken.
Announcing the Inquiry, the Group’s Chairman Andrew Griffiths MP said, “We have been concerned about this difficult issue for some time, and have concluded that it merits a closer look. We intend to test the assumptions behind HMRC’s proposals and their likely effects, both beneficial and otherwise. If simpler and less costly remedies can be found, then so much the better. We shall be pleased to receive and consider the views of any affected businesses.”
Justin Tomlinson MP said “I look forward to the inquiry and hearing the panel’s conclusions. The APPBG of which I am a member has been very active on the key issue of tax fraud in the drinks industry, and I have met with a number of different drinks companies to discuss the measures they take to counteract the fraudsters.”