HL Deb 30 March 1981 vol 419 cc106-7WA
Lord O'Hagan

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will confirm that they will press for the exclusion of all cider with an alcoholic strength of less than 6½ per cent. from the proposed EEC regulations on harmonization of excise duty.

The Minister of State, Treasury (Lord Cockfield)

The existing excise duty provides for a single rate of duty on all cider of an alcoholic strength of up to 8.7 per cent. It is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to maintain this structure unchanged or virtually unchanged.