88. Mr. Gresham Cookeasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give an assurance that the restrictions now to be imposed on the amount of tax-free whisky available to foreign embassies and Commonwealth high commissioners in London for entertainment purposes will not cause the amount allowed to fall below the 1964 position.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsThe concession whereby excise duty is refunded on Scotch whisky purchased by foreign embassies and Commonwealth high commissioners in London has been from its inception in respect of "reasonable quantities" for official entertainment.
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§ Mrs. HartThe detailed information required is readily available in respect of some Departments only.
The following is the information:
The formula for the calculation of reasonable quantities has existed since the introduction of the concession in 1964. It is intended to apply the formula more strictly than in the past but the quantity of whisky on which duty will be refunded in the next financial year is not likely to fall below the 1964 position.