SMALL BREWERIES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

That this House welcomes the success of small breweries in the UK; notes that there are now 767 real ale breweries in the UK, a fourfold increase in the last 40 years which includes 78 new breweries in the last year alone; further notes that real ale is bucking a declining UK beer market with a growth in the value of the real ale market in 2009 of five per cent. with 3,000 more pubs now serving cask ale; recognises that the introduction of small breweries' relief in 2002 continues to foster growth in the number of small breweriesand a growing real ale market; further notes the success of small breweries' relief in enabling business investment by small breweries; recognises the importance of small breweries to economic growth, tourism, consumers and the nation's pubs; and urges the Government to continue to support small brewers.