HC Deb 01 July 1947 vol 439 cc1137-8
51. Sir John Mellor

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why merchants, whose wines or spirits or stolen from a bonded store, are required by the Customs and Excise authorities to pay duty on the stolen liquor.

Mr. Dalton

Because, had the liquor not been placed in such a store, for the convenience of the merchants, duty would have been paid already.

Sir J. Mellor

This is a matter that creates great injustice. Will not the right hon. Gentleman take steps to deal with it in the present Finance Bill? Meanwhile, why does not the Government catch the thieves and collect the duty?

Mr. Dalton

The police do not fall within my Department, except for specialised inquiries on the Riviera and elsewhere. But so far as as this question is concerned, I think the hon. Baronet may be under a misapprehension. These bonded warehouses are not in the custody of Customs and Excise. They are in the custody of the warehouse keeper, and my Department has no responsibility whatever for their safe keeping. The only way to remove injustice is' to make the merchants pay the duty before they put the goods into the bonded warehouses.