§ Sir JOHN BARKERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer is there any efficient 28 check upon the correctness of the amount of hop substitutes entered in the brewing books as being used in the manufacture and preservation of beer; is there any penalty to which brewers are liable if they neglect to enter the quantity of hop substitutes used in the brewing or preservation of beer in the column provided for this purpose in the brewing books or for incorrectly entering the same; if so, what is the penalty, and has it ever been enforced; and are all chemical preservatives used in beer entered in the column provided for hop substitutes?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Hobhouse)The brewer is not required by law to make entry in his brewing book of hop substitutes, which do not fall within the category of brewing materials in the Beer Duty Act. The entries are voluntarily made, but the Excise Authorities have no reason to doubt their accuracy. The answer on each of the other points is in the negative.