§ 14. Mr. HARDIEasked the Home Secretary whether he will amend the present Spirit Acts to permit the continuous working of plants producing industrial alcohol and save the three days in each week at present lost?
The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the TREASURY (Mr. Guinness)I assume that the honourable Member refers to the existing statutory prohibition against concurrent brewing and distilling at distilleries. An amendment of the Spirits Act in the direction indicated could not be made without involving other amendments of a far-reaching nature, and I am not prepared to introduce such legislation at the present time.
§ Mr. HARDIEIs the hon. Member aware that industrial alcohol is being made apart from ordinary distillery methods, and is he further aware that the Spirit Act prevents the development of trade; might I further ask, seeing his party is always calling for an increase of industrial production, whether they might not do something to allow continuous industrial alcohol production, and so get on with work to cheapen the product?
Mr. GUINNESSIf I understand the case put by the hon. Gentleman, it means that a certain amount of illicit distilling is going on. [HON MEMBERS: "No!"] That, however, does not really justify us in waiving the existing Regulations, which enable us to prevent fraud by checking the amount after fermentation, and not before, in a distillery.
§ Mr. HARDIEIs the hon. Gentleman familiar with the 1880 Spirit Act as applied to the conditions of making industrial alcohol?
Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKERI think the hon. Gentleman must wait for an opportunity to discuss this matter till the 28th April.
§ Mr. HARDIEBut Mr. Deputy-Speaker, is it fair to a Member like myself, who puts a question from a deep knowledge of the subject, to be fobbed off with an answer by someone who does not even understand the Act?
Mr. DEPUTY-SPEAKERIt is impossible, I think, for the Secretary to the Treasury to get knowledge of an Act in the interval between the first question and the supplementary.