RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans has delivered an open letter signed by 50 Conservative Parliamentary colleagues to the Treasury calling on Chancellor Philip Hammond to cut beer duty.

He also wants the cabinet minister to commit to the scrapping of ny link between the tax on ale and the retail price index for inflation in his Budget on Wednesday.

Tory MP Mr Evans said: “It is absolutely vital that the Chancellor takes the contents of this letter into account during next week’s budget,

“Every month, more than 30 million people visit pubs across the UK, they act as places for people to come together and as social hubs for people from all walks of life.

"Pubs do not just benefit customers though.

"The pub trade supports more than 900,000 jobs nationwide, and contributes more than £23billion to the UK economy. In my constituency alone, pubs contribute £3.1m in corporation tax.”

Mr Evans also highlighted in his letter how seven out of every ten drinks purchased in a pub is beer.

From 2008-2013 while automatic beer duty rises took place, more than 5,000 local pubs closed down costing 58,000 jobs and cutting the Treasury’s tax income.