§ Lord O'HAGANasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will reconsider the limit below which farmhouse cider makers are exempt from taxation, and whether they are prepared to begin discussions with interested parties.
§ The MINISTER of STATE, TREASURY (Lord Cockfield)A comprehensive review of the exemption limit for small cider makers was undertaken during the fiscal year 1977–78, and the findings were published in the 69th Report of the Commissioners of HM Customs and Excise, Cmnd. 7455, dated February 1979. A copy of the report is available in the Library. The review showed that there was strong opposition to raising the exemption limit from the trade association representing the small registered cider makers and that no real evidence of hardship being caused to traditional farmhouse cider makers existed. If the noble Lord has evidence of any such hardship it would of course be very carefully considered.
Interviewed at end March 1979 (time in months) Priority Main Settlement Queue Husbands' Queue Fiancés' Queue Dacca … … 7 22 None interviewed None interviewed New Delhi … … No delay 6 12 12 Bombay … … 1¾ 4¼ 12½ 12½ Islamabad … … 2¾ 19¾ 19¾ 22¾ Karachi … … 2¾ 19¾ 19¾ 22¾ Applied at end March 1979 Priority Main Settlement Queue Husbands' Queue Fiancés' Queue Dacca … … 4½ 24½ 24½ 26 New Delhi … No delay 10 19 19 Bombay … … 2¾ 7 15¾ 15¾ Islamabad … … 2¼ 22 22 26 Karachi … … 2¼ 22 22 26