Thank you for contacting me about the proposed takeover of Punch Taverns PLC by Heineken.
This is a commercial matter on which the shareholders of Punch will decide and then it will be subject to regulatory approval with appropriate scrutiny from the competition authorities. It would be useful to understand what evidence or reasoning you have regarding the role of micro-breweries and the existing operations of Punch Taverns. It would also be useful to understand how you think the craft brew culture is generating jobs and preserving a connection to our communities, here in Suffolk Coastal.
More broadly, I am a firm supporter of pubs here in the constituency and know they play an important role in communities across the UK. I am proud of the action taken to back pubs, including three cuts in beer duty and have no doubt of the Government's support for the British pub.