§ 27. Mr. Loydenasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will compare the current rate of excise duty on tobacco in the United Kingdom with the rates in other European Economic Community countries; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HayhoeI am placing in the Library a copy of a table comparing the duties on cigarettes, cigars and other tobacco products.
Both retail prices and duty levels have traditionally been higher in the UK than in many EC countrie, for all tobacco products. For cigarettes the total tax burden is, at 80p, the second highest in the Community in cash terms, after Denmark, and, at 75 per cent., about average when expressed as a percentage of the retail selling price.