§ MR. LOUGHI beg to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether cyder, perry, and British wines, containing up to 15 per cent. of alcohol, can be manufactured and sold without duty being paid on them; whether any statistics exist of the quantity of these beverages manufactured; and whether they are chiefly made in England; and if so, whether any compensating immunity from duty can be granted to the native stimulants produced in Ireland and Scotland?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERThere is no duty on the manufacture of the liquors mentioned by the hon. Member, but a licence duty has to be paid on the sale of them by retail. There are no recent statistics as to the production of them; but it was found, after an exhaustive enquiry which was made in 1887, that about one-sixth of the whole annual production of British wines came from Ireland, and it was estimated that about the same amount came from Scotland.
§ MR. LOUGHsaid the right hon. Gentleman had not answered the question as to the percentage of alcohol. Was it a fact that alcohol up to 15 per cent. was free of duty?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERI cannot answer that, but I should not think it is. These liquors contain very varying amounts of alcohol; some very little indeed.