Today’s 2% duty rise on whisky has been condemned by Bill Kidd, SNP MSP for the Glasgow region. The duty hike was revealed today as part of the 2009 budget.

Mr Kidd hit out at the UK Treasury, stressing that this duty-hike could damage the industry and potentially jeopardise the livelihoods of the many employed by the major whisky-producer Edrington’s, which employs over 800 people at its Great Western Road site.

Commenting, Mr Kidd said: "Yet again the UK Government is treating the whisky industry as a cash cow. Only last year Labour Ministers announced record 17% in duty hikes, and now the pain continues.

 "This decision is reckless and jeopardises the livelihoods of the many across Scotland who are employed by the whisky industry, including those employed at Edrington’s in Glasgow.

"The whisky sector is one of Scotland’s key industries in export, earnings and employment terms with a huge potential to benefit the Scottish economy and it is a disgrace that the UK Treasury is treating with such disregard."

Note:
 
The Budget bad news come just weeks after the Scottish Government secured rapid progress on the issue of better legal protection for Scotch whisky in China. As part of the Scottish Government’s business mission to China, First Minister Alex Salmond, the Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association Gavin Hewitt, the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise Jack Perry, and the UK Ambassador to China Sir William Ehrman met with the Chinese Minister of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ), Wang Yong, to securing Geographic Indication of Origin Status for Scotch Whisky in China.
 
Securing Geographic Indication of Origin Status has been a vital issue for the industry, and the progress between the Scottish and Chinese Governments presents important commercial opportunities for Scotland.