§ 50. Colonel ROPNERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in the returns furnished to the Customs Department of the consumption of beer, distinction is made between supplies to clubs and supplies to places of public refreshment; and whether he is aware of the serious effect of the existing beer taxation on the well-being of all club life?
§ Major ELLIOTNo returns of the consumption of beer are furnished to the Customs and Excise Department, and therefore no statistics are available drawing the distinction suggested in the first part of the question. With regard to the second part, I am aware of the serious effect which heavy taxation is having at present in every branch of life.
§ Lord APSLEYWhen the duty on beer is reduced will the Government give considerable preference to those breweries that use British malting barley?
§ 53. Colonel BALDWIN-WEBBasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of duty collected on beer brewed in England and Wales and Northern Ireland for the month of October, 1931, as compared with October, 1930; and what is the average gravity?
§ Major ELLIOTThe figures for duty assessed on brewings during the month are as follow:
| — | Amount of duty assessed. | Average gravity. |
| £ | ||
| Beer brewed in October, 1930. | 5,632,000 | 1042.72 |
| Beer brewed in October, 1931. | 5,702,000 | 1039.74 |
§ Beer duty is not collected until the following month, and complete figures of duty actually collected in November in respect of brewings during October, 1931, are not yet available.