Drink talking

Last night in Strangers' Bar, a regular haunt of many an ale-loving MP, I was pondering which real ale to choose from the guest ales on offer.

After much reflection I plumped for the ale that Peter Luff and I have managed to have installed in Strangers -. Cannon Royall's Arrowhead bitter from Worcestershire is now pumping freely from the bar where any connoisseur of ale can enjoy it.

The cause of small brewers and real ale is close to my heart, indeed closer after every sip I take. The Early Day Motion that I've put down along with colleagues wholeheartedly supports the cause of small breweries.

The current system has been very successful in helping small breweries to cope and compete with larger brewers with their far greater capacity in terms of both money and production capacity. But there is a gaping hole in the current system which provides a bizarre disincentive for medium-sized breweries (that is, those producing between 60,000 and 200,000 hectolitres) to be successful.

It's a great shame because the more we can help these breweries the better. It is time we started to view our fine ales and beers with the same pride and passion as the French view their vineyards.

There are many brewers that are too large to qualify for small brewers relief but then again too small to benefit from the economies that the much larger brewers can gain. Clearly the system is prejudiced against these brewers stuck in the 'no-mans land' between. Relief should surely be extended to those brewers producing up to 200,000 hectolitres as already happens in 13 EU countries.

The fact is that independent small breweries are often a great source of local employment and the local tourist trade. It also increases consumer choice and healthy competition between brewers. Together these concurrent increases push the quality of our already fantastic selection of ales even higher.

Why we do not treat our real ales with the respect and pride they deserve is a good question and one that I hope the EDM will address. There will come a day when we can fully appreciate what independent breweries give to the nation.

Our ales are the equivalent of the finest Gallic Beaujolais and Burgundy. We should foster this part of our heritage as the Germans rightly do with their beers.

I hope that Gordon Brown decides to take up the issue rather quickly. I would hate the Chancellor to be installed in his new job before the relief is extended!