HC Deb 31 January 1809 vol 12 cc240-1
The Chancellor of the Exchequer,

after observing that the Act prohibiting Distillation from Grain would expire within six weeks from the commencement of the present session, expressed a hope that there would be no objection to his moving, even at that late hour, for leave to bring in a Bill to continue the said Act, as frequent opportunities would occur in its progress for fully discussing its merits. He thought it necessary, however, in the first instance, to state that there was a material difference between the Bill he proposed to introduce, and the Act of the last session. The distillation from sugar had gone on in this country under the provisions of the last Act, and the spirit it produced was found to be quite satisfactory; but in Ireland there had been no distillation whatever from sugar; on the contrary, the distillation from grain had been illicitly carried on, and the consumption of that article, which it was the object of the Act to prevent, had exceeded the ordinary amount of former years: from this experience, combined with the circumstance of an abundant harvest of potatoes in Ireland, it was deemed advisable to alter the Act with respect to that country, by removing the prohibition, accompanied however with this provision, that in the event of an enhanced price of grain in G. Britain, that prohibition should be renewed at the discretion of his Majesty. At present he should only move for leave to bring in a Bill for continuing the act of last session until 40 days after the commencement of the next sessions, leaving it at the discretion of the Crown to suspend the Act at any time, if circumstances should appear to render it expedient.

The House then resolved into a Committee upon the Act of last Session. To a question from Mr. Barham, the Chancellor replied, that it was his intention to bring in two Bills with regard to the objects described in his speech.

On the house resuming, leave was given to bring in a Bill to prohibit the Distillation of Spirits from Corn or Grain in Great I Britain, and to suspend the importation of British of Irish made Spirits into Great Britain, or Ireland respectively, for a time to be limited.