HC Deb 14 February 1922 vol 150 cc817-8
59. Lieut.-Colonel HILDER

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he an increase of £327,070,302 as compared with the amount of Treasury bills held at the Armistice. The amounts deposited by individual Governments are as follow:

will give in the next Budget some relief in regard to the Beer Tax, which has been increased from 7s. 9d. to £5 per barrel, or much over 1,000 per cent., and which falls almost entirely on the poorer classes of the community; and whether at the same time he will abolish the special club tax on beer?

Mr. YOUNG

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 9th instant to questions on this subject asked by the hon. Member for the Cleveland Division.

Lieut.-Colonel CROFT

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that there is an enormous reduction in the amount of beer being manufactured, and does he realise that unless something be done in the next Budget he will have the same result as happened in the case of the champagne and cigar duties, and he will lose a great deal of revenue?

Viscountess ASTOR

Is it not better to tax beer rather than sugar and tea?