A Treasury minister will meet MPs over a growing rebellion to plans for a controversial tax hike for small breweries.
More than 150 海角视频 small breweries face the burden of paying more tax because of a plan by the 海角视频 Treasury to cut Small Breweries’ Relief.
They have warned that it will threaten breweries and jobs at an already challenging time due to the pandemic.
This Monday Plaid Cymru Member of Parliament for Dwyfor Meirionnydd Liz Saville Roberts led a debate on the issue in Westminster.
She said it secured cross party support - including from Conservative MPs.
Now Minister Kemi Badenoch, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, will meet Ms Saville Roberts and a small group of other MPs to discuss their concerns.
Small Breweries’ Relief was introduced in 2002 to help up and coming breweries become profitable and compete with big market players.
The relief currently gives any brewer producing less than 5,000 hectolitres (hl) (880,000 pints) annually a 50% discount on beer duty.
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It has helped spark the revival of craft breweries.
But 海角视频 Government want to reduce that upper limit to 2,100hl.
Liz Saville Roberts MP said: "I welcome the fact that the Minister has agreed to meet myself and a small delegation of MPs to hear our concerns in more detail.
"The government now has the chance to bolster our small breweries, to guarantee their future and to ensure that they can continue to serve their communities, create jobs, and support the economy.
"I urge the government to alter course and not to make changes to relief for any brewers below 5,000 hectolitres and not to introduce the cash basis, and by doing so to give hope to all our small breweries, in my constituency and beyond."
Myrddin ap Dafydd, a director at Cwrw Llŷn, a craft brewery in north-west Wales said: "Prospects for Welsh produce are already bleak with Westminster insisting on taking control of its future and further infliction by London-biased decisions will be a huge blow to our market."
Sean Meagher, from Cader Ales Brewery in Dolgellau, said: "This change represents a huge threat to my small business, and more than 150 small independent breweries across the country."
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The Treasury had said it is supporting small breweries and that 80% will be unaffected by the proposed changes.
It said hundreds of breweries consulted said that, under the current system, tax relief was being withdrawn "too quickly" and it was "preventing their businesses from growing".
A Treasury spokesperson added that small breweries will "still benefit from the relief as they gradually expand their businesses, rather than having an all or nothing approach where it's rapidly withdrawn above a certain level".