§ Mr. Shepherdasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the nature of the pre-Budget restrictions placed upon withdrawals of wines and spirits from bond in the years 1963, 1964, and 1965, and the duration of such restrictions in each of these years.
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§ Mr. MacDermotNo pre-Budget restrictions were imposed in 1963. In 1964, the Commissioners of Customs and Excise made an Order under section 261 of the Customs and Excise Act, 1952, restricting deliveries of spirits for home use in the pre-Budget period to amounts determined on the basis of normal trade. Clearances by any trader in the period 16th March to 14th April, 1964, were limited to a quota representing two-thirds of the quantity delivered to him in January and February, 1964. Similar action was taken this year to restrict deliveries of both spirits and wine from 18th March to 6th April; on this occasion the quotas for spirits and wine represented in each case 40 per cent. of deliveries in January and February, 1965.