§ Mr. Simsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the total sales of spirits in the United Kingdom for the most convenient recent 12-month period; and w hat percentage of that figure was represented by Scotch whisky.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneI have no statistics of the quantity of spirits sold in the United Kingdom. In the 12 months to 31 August 1981 duty was paid on 97 million litres of alcohol in the spirits. About 50 per cent. of this alcohol was in Scotch whisky. I regret that, owing to industrial action, figures for later periods are not yet available.
For the estimated value of consumers' expenditure on spirits in 1980, I refer my hon. Friend to table 4.6 on page 32 of National Income and Expenditure, 1981 edition. There is a copy in the Library of the House.