More than two-thirds of Scottish people want the Chancellor to cut taxes on whisky, a survey has found.

Duty rates on the spirit currently make up 80 per cent on an average-priced bottle after being raised by 3.9 per cent in March.

A questionnaire carried out for the Scottish Whisky Association found 68 per cent believe Philip Hammond should reduce taxes in his next Budget.

Karen Betts, chief executive of the association, said: “We are urging the Chancellor to use the Budget to cut tax on Scotch and back this global success story.

“The Westminster Government has a real chance to show it is fully behind a leading UK manufacturing and exporting industry at a vital time, and fully behind the jobs and communities in Scotland that the industry supports.”

According to the group, whisky adds £5 billion to the economy each year, is worth £4 billion in exports and supports more than 40,000 jobs across the UK.

More than 90 per cent of the spirit is exported, meaning companies do not have to pay alcohol duty on these sales.

However, since the duty rise in the Chancellor’s last budget, sales have fallen by one million bottles.