§ SIR CHARLES REEDasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether beverages slightly fermented but made without malt, such as ginger beer, &c, are intended to be included in the list of intoxicants; and, whether instructions have been given to the officers of Excise to compel the manufacturers and sellers of such drinks to take out licences as brewers?
§ LORD FREDERICK CAVENDISHI have been requested by my right hon. and learned Friend to answer this Question. I have little to add to an answer that was given by my right hon. Friend at the head of the Government a week ago. He then stated that it was the rule of the Inland Revenue authorities not to prosecute manufacturers of so-called non-intoxicating beverages which contained less than 3 per cent of alcohol. But it must be remembered that these drinks are generally made of sugar, and that a large quantity of beer is brewed from the same material. Indeed, it has recently been found that a considerable quantity of non-intoxicating drinks were 968 just as strong as mild table beer. In the present state of legislation, with respect to Beer and Malt Duties, there has been a suspension of proceedings in the case of these drinks, and no special instructions have been issued to compel manufacturers to take out licences as brewers.