Westminster wine consumption drops

Consumption of the UK government’s wine cellar has dropped but spending is up, with the Westminster wine cellar now said to pay for itself.

Foreign office minister Mark Simmonds has released the 2013/2014 report on the Westminster wine cellar which indicates consumption has dropped by more than 13% on the year before.

In a statement posted in Hansard yesterday, Mr Simmonds said: “Sales for the year totalled £56,000, down from £63,300 for the same period during 2012-2013.”

However while government officials may be consuming less wine, purchases of wine were up on previous years, with payments made amounting to £50,054, compared to £45,866 in 2011/12.

The report stated the cellars continue to turn a profit, albeit a smaller one than the year prior, with claims that the cellar is now self- funding through the sale of some high value stock and receipts paid by other government departments.

In 2012/13, sales from the cellar stood at £63,000 with more than £22,000 bought by other departments.

The report reflected positively on domestic producers with English wine representing the highest consumption by volume, at 48% of the total, down a fraction on the 49% reported last year.

Wine represents only a fraction of alcohol consumed in the Houses of Parliament as reported in the drinks business earlier this year.