§ Mr. Whitlockasked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what would be the consequences to the consumer of the operation in the United Kingdom of the Common Market cigarette tax structure as from the beginning of 1978.
§ Mr. MaclennanThe effect of adopting the EEC structure depends partly on how the Government make use of the considerable degree of choice which that structure allows, and partly on how the manufacturing companies respond. During the coming months Treasury Ministers will be considering very carefully how this structure should be applied from the beginning of 1978, and the interests of the consumer will be one of the many factors which will be weighed.