§ Motion made, and Question proposed, "That there shall be charged on and after the first day of January, nineteen hundred and nine, on tobacco grown in Ireland, the following excise duties, namely—
| Upon tobacco, manufactured, namely— | s. | d. |
| Cavendish or negro head manufactured in bond the 1b. | 3 | 10 |
| Upon tobacco, unmanufactured, namely— | ||
| Tobacco containing 10 lbs. or more of moisture in every 100 1bs. weight thereof the 1b. | 2 | 10 |
| Tobacco containing less than 10 1bs. of moisture in every 100 1bs. weight thereof the 1b. | 3 | 2 |
§ MR. MORTONasked whether the duty was to apply to tobacco grown in Scotland.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINI was going to ask the same question, because the Government has agreed to the passage of a Bill which enables Scotland to grow tobacco as well as Ireland. Why England has been omitted I do not quite know. I suppose it wants energy on the part of some agricultural Member in England. But what are these duties? Are they 552 calculated on the exact equivalent of the customs duties?
§ MR. ASQUITHThe reason why Scotland is not included is because the Scottish Bill is not yet passed into law. When it is passed a similar provision will be made.
§ MR. MORTONSo we have to wait twelve months.
§ MR. ASQUITHTill the Bill passes. Tobacco cannot be grown in Ireland until an excise is set up.
§ MR. MORTONIf the Bill is passed in July will the Government then set up an excise for Scotland as well as for Ireland?
§ MR. ASQUITHNo, I think we must wait till next session.
§ MR. MORTONasked the Prime Minister, as representing a Scottish constituency, whether it was fair to Scotland that tobacco could not be grown there while it could in Ireland.
§ MR. ASQUITHThe Irish Members were a little more active in getting their Bill through a year earlier and Scotland must wait.
§ Question put, and agreed to.