§ 27. Sir C. RAWSONasked the President of the Board of Trade the figures for exports of Scotch whisky to Germany during the past two years; to what extent is the reduction, if any, attributable to the duty on whisky in bottles of 1,200 reichsmarks per hundred kilogs plus the monopoly administration levy of 440.62 reichsmarks per hundred kilogs; and whether His Majesty's Government propose to make any representations to the German Government on behalf of British residents and visitors with regard to the size of this tax?
§ The PRESIDENT of the BOARD of TRADE (Mr. Runciman)I am unable to state the amount of whisky exported from this country, as particulars of these exports are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom. As regards the second and third parts of the question the import duty referred to by my hon. Friend has been in force since 1922 and the monopoly tax was reduced on the 1st October, 1934, from 440.62 reichsmarks to 440.0 reichsmarks per 100 kilogrammes. Recent regulations issued by the German Spirit Monopoly permitting imports of whisky only at a 246 reduced strength have, however, had the effect of increasing the duty and the question of approaching the German Government in the matter is under consideration.