HC Deb 04 November 1908 vol 195 cc1205-6
MR. BARKER (Penryn and Falmouth)

I beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Inland Revenue Department has any list of chemicals and preservatives, other than hops, which are sometimes used in the brewing of beer or which may be added to the beer after the process of brewing is completed; have the officials of the Department ever issued a list of chemicals or chemical substances which brewers were forbidden to use; and, if so, what are the names of the forbidden articles.

MR. LLOYD-GEORGE

A list of the articles in respect of which application had been made to the Board of Inland Revenue for permission for their use in the manufacture of beer was compiled in 1905 and given by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer in reply to a Question in the House of Commons on 23rd May, 1905. No list has been issued by the Board of Inland Revenue of substances which brewers are forbidden to use, but from time to time decisions are given by the Board as regards substances submitted either by brewers or by the Board's officers. The articles for which sanction has been refused are: Malt, yeast-foods, glucose, invert sugar, hop substitutes, etc., when containing arsenic beyond the limit recommended by the Royal Commission on Arsenical Poisoning; heading powders and liquids, or other article, containing saponin whether derived from quillaia bark or not; flavouring essences; saccharin; sacramine, and other compounds containing saccharin.

EARL WINTERTON

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether any list is kept of chemicals which wine merchants are forbidden to use in doctoring their wines?

MR. G. D. FABER (York)

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether any chemicals are used in the manufacture, of mineral waters?

[No reply was given.]