MR. HERBERT ROBERTS (Denbighshire, W.)I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the importation into this country by German and other Continental manufacturers of quantities of sweets, particularly chocolates, containing a large percentage of proof spirit; and whether, having regard to the danger of the sale of such articles to children, the Board of Inland Revenue propose to take steps to check such sale: and whether he will state under what conditions, if any, such articles are allowed to be sold without a licence.
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN, Worcestershire, E.)The hon. Member was good enough to draw my attention to this matter by a private letter. I have been in communication with the Board of Inland Revenue on the subject. 790 The only thing that they can do is to insist that goods containing an appreciable percentage of spirit should not be sold by any person not holding a spirit retail licence, and they are issuing warnings to that effect in such cases as appear to them to require it.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI think so.