HL Deb 24 November 1970 vol 313 cc7-8
LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stand in my name on the Order Paper.

[The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, in next year's Budget, they will consider reducing the duties on wines and spirits.]

THE LORD PRIVY SEAL (EARL JELLICOE)

My Lords, such a possibility will of course be considered in the review of taxation before the Budget. I am afraid that my noble friend will have to wait and see what the Chancellor of the Exchequer then decides.

LORD FRASER OF LONSDALE

My Lords, I must declare an interest. May I ask the noble Lord whether he will warn the Chancellor that should he raise these duties, or even if he keeps them as they are, there is a real possibility that the law of diminishing returns will lead to the Revenue's getting less money?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, while I appreciate my noble friend's interest, which I reciprocate in a lesser degree, may I remind him that in the last Budget it was estimated that wine consumption—including British wine—in this country will increase by some 8 per cent. this year and spirits consumption by some 5½ per cent. My noble friend is no doubt aware that the wine drinker in Britain, and the drinker of British wine in this country, together with the spirits drinker in this country, is, on the whole, living up to those expectations.

LORD SHINWELL

My Lords, as the noble Lord is in such an amiable mood, will he make representations to his right honourable friend to reduce the tax on tobacco?

LORD DIAMOND

My Lords, is the noble Earl aware that a new Member is naturally most anxious not to fill the Order Paper with Questions which the Government do not wish to answer and, therefore, that it would be of enormous help to the whole House if the Government could say which parts of next year's Budget the Chancellor of the Exchequer wishes to divulge and which parts he wishes to hold until the more traditional period?

EARL JELLICOE

My Lords, I am not certain that I can necessarily answer the first part of the noble Lord's supplementary question in the affirmative, but I can assure him that this part of my right honourable friend's intentions will not be divulged until Budget day.