§ Mr. GRETTONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that considerable misunderstanding prevails as to the minimum quantity of two gallons, or one dozen reputed quart bottles, of spirits which may be sold at one time under a spirit dealer's licence; whether such minimum quantity may consist partly of whisky, brandy, rum, gin, liqueurs, etc., if the total quantity of any two or more of the above is not less than two gallons, as provided in the First Schedule of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, or whether the whole quantity must be of one denomination as specified in Section 102 of the Spirits Act, 1880; and, if the latter provision still applies, will he define the meaning of the term denomination, and say what, if any, combination of spirits it covers?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEProvision 1 of the "Provisions applicable to Wholesale Dealers' Licences" in the First Schedule of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, provides that a dealer in spirits may not under that licence sell spirits in any less quantity than two gallons or one dozen reputed quart bottles. This provision merely defines the quantity which may be sold, but does not alter or affect the provision of Section 102 of the Spirits Act, 1880, which restricts the sale by a dealer (unless he also holds a licence enabling him to sell spirits by retail) to a minimum quantity of two gallons of the same denomination at one time for the same person. There is not any distinct statement in the Spirits Act, 1880, in reference to the term "denomination." but the different descriptions of British spirits referred to in the Act are given in the definition Section (Section 3) as plain spirits, compounds and spirits of wine The different denominations of foreign spirits are shown in full detail in the Customs Tariff, but for the purposes of this question the denominations of potable foreign spirits may be taken to be brandy, rum, Geneva, liqueurs and "unenumerated" spirits.