HC Deb 21 September 1915 vol 74 cc426-7

Motion made, and Question proposed,

7. "1. That on and after the twenty-second day of September, nineteen hundred and fifteen, until the first day of August nineteen hundred and sixteen, there shall be charged on sugar made in Great Britain or Ireland the following duties of Excise, that is to say:—

£ s. d.
Sugar of a polarisation exceeding 98 degrees, the cwt. 0 7 0
Sugar of a polarisation not exceeding 76 degrees, the cwt. 0 3 4
and intermediate duties varying between 7s. and 3s. 4d. on sugar of a polarisation not exceeding 98 and exceeding 76 degrees;
Molasses (including all sugar and extracts from sugar which cannot be tested by the polariscope):—
if containing 70 per cent. or more of sweetening matter, the cwt. 0 4 5
if containing less than 70 per cent. and more than 50 percent. of sweetening matter, the cwt. 0 3 2
if containing not more than 50 per cent. of sweetening matter, the cwt. 0 1 7
Glucose—
solid, the cwt 0 5 11
liquid, the cwt. 0 4 3
Saccharin (including substances of a like nature or use), the oz. 0 3 0
and so on in proportion for any less quantity.

8. Resolved, That there shall be charged on a licence to be taken out annually by a manufacturer of sugar an Excise Duty of one pound."

Mr. DUNDAS WHITE

I desire to ask a question on a point of Order. I understand that this Excise Duty on home-produced sugar is lower than the Customs Duty on foreign-produced sugar. Assuming that the higher duty on imported sugar were adopted by this House and passed into law, would the fact that the Resolution we are now passing put the duty on home-grown sugar alone preclude the possibility of a Motion in the House to raise the duty on home-grown sugar to the same level as that on imported sugar? In other words, do we by passing this Resolution deprive ourselves of the right, when the Finance Bill is introduced, of proposing that the Excise Duty should be made to balance the Customs Duty?

The CHAIRMAN

I can only repeat the general principle that any increased charge on the public can be imposed only on the recommendation of a Minister of the Crown.

Mr. WHITE

I had that in mind when I asked the question.

Question put, and agreed to.

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