§ MR. J. M'KILLOP (Stirlingshire)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his attention has been directed to the inferior quality of whisky sold in Scotland, known as raw-grained; and, whether more stringent inspection could be made whereby whisky of a matured character should be sold, in the interests of the consuming public.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (SIR M. HICKS BEACH,) Bristol, W.I am afraid the remedy suggested by the hon. Member of more stringent inspection would not be of any effect. The Revenue authorities have no power to exercise any supervision over the materials used by distillers, or to prevent spirits being sold under a certain age. This matter was recently very carefully considered by a strong Committee in 1891, who reported that it is not desirable to pass any compulsory law with regard to age. This opinion of the Committee, of course, applied to foreign spirits as well as to British spirits; but I have some reason to think that the harm done by the sale of immature spirit is principally due to cheap foreign spirit, and not to spirit distilled in Scotland, which, in the opinion of the Revenue authorities, is, as a rule, of a good and improving quality.