§ Mr. Nicholas Wintertonasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his estimates of revenues from tax and excise duty on beer fell short of his target in the financial year 1981–82; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Bruce-GardyneExcise duty receipts from beer in 1981–82 were £1,356 million (provisional), £84 million (5.8 per cent) below the 1981 Budget estimate of £1,440 million. Budget estimates for VAT are made only globally and, in consequence, there was no forecast of VAT revenue from beer. I believe that the shortfall in excise duty receipts from beer was mainly attributable to a fall in demand below expectation as a result of the continuing effects of the recession.