§ Mr. Bowen Wellsasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the revenue received from duties on spirits from the beginning of the current financial year to the month for which he has the latest figures together with the figures for the same period in the two immediately preceding years; and if he will give similar data for the complete years 1983–84 and 1984–85, and the expected figures for the financial year ending 31 March.
§ Mr. BrookeThe revenue received from duties on spirits for the first nine months of the current financial year and of the previous two financial years is as follows:
£ million Excise duty *VAT Total April-December 1983 1,229 255 1,484 April-December 1984 926 280 1,206 April-December 1985 1,171 295 1,466 The revenue from duties on spirits for the last two complete financial years and the Budget estimate for the current year are as follows:
£ million Excise duty *VAT Total 1983–84 1,702 430 2,132 1984–85 1,242 455 1,697 1985–86 (estimate) 1,460 n.a. n.a. *Estimates based on consumers' expenditure data; forecasts of VAT receipts from particular goods are not made.