§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people and/or jobs are involved directly or indirectly in(a) the whisky and (b) the whiskey industry in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. NelsonI regret the information is not available. The standard industrial classification does not separately identify the whisky or whiskey industries from other industries involved in spirit distilling and compounding.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what percentage per capita consumption of(a) all alcoholic drinks and (b) whisky or whiskey has changed in the United Kingdom since 1979.
§ Sir John CopeThe following figures relate to expenditure by domestic consumers and exclude business expenditure. Consumption per capita of all alcoholic drinks declined in real terms by 6 per cent. between 1979 and 1992. Figures relating to whisky and whiskey are unavailable for years prior to 1984. Consumption per420W capita for whisky and whiskey combined fell in real terms by 21 per cent. between 1984 and 1992. Separate figures for whisky and whiskey are unavailable.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the sale of whisky and whiskey in the United Kingdom at the last date for which figures are available expressed as a percentage of the figure for 1979.
§ Sir John CopeFigures for sales of whisky and whiskey for years prior to 1984 are unavailble. Between 1984 and 1992 sales of whisky and whiskey combined rose from £1,561 million to £2,053 million at current market prices. This represents an increase of 32 per cent. Expressed in terms of constant 1990 prices, expenditure on whisky and whiskey combined fell by 19 per cent. from £2,105 million in 1984 to £1,704 million in 1992. These figures relate to expenditure by domestic consumers and exclude business expenditure.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average retail cost of a 70 cl bottle of Scotch whisky in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) each of the other EC states and (c) the United States of America.
§ Mr. NelsonIn September 1993 the retail prices index sample gave an average price £10.94 for a 70 cl bottle of whisky in the United Kingdom. Scotch whisky is not specified in the RPI sample which is mainly made up of blended brands. The information for(b) and (c) can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the total earnings from export of(a) whisky and (b) whiskey, distilled in Northern Ireland for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. NelsonI regret that trade figures are not available for production from different parts of the United Kingdom, and whiskey distilled in Northern Ireland is therefore not separately distinguished. The value of exports of whisky from the United Kingdom as a whole in each year is as follows.
£ million 1979 710 1980 748 1981 787 1982 875 1983 864 1984 937 1985 1,001 1986 1,075 1987 1,142 1988 1,298 1989 1,480 1990 1,727 1991 1,853 1992 1,981
§ Mr. MackinlayTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the actual and percentage change in the duty imposed on a 70 cl bottle of whisky since 1979.
§ Sir John CopeThe following is the information:
421W
Date of change Alcohol duty on 70 cl spirits (40 per cent. above)£ Per cent. change from previous rate 27 March 1980 3.32 13.7 11 March 1981 3.81 14.6 4.05 6.4 10 March 1982
Date of change Alcohol duty on 70 cl spirits (40 per cent.above)£ Per cent. change from previous rate 16 March 1983 4.25 5.0 14 March 1984 4.33 1.9 20 March 1985 4.42 1.9 20 March 1990 4.86 10.0 19 March 1991 5.31 9.3 10 March 1992 5.55 4.5 Total change in duty since 1979 is 90 per cent. as compared with 135 per cent. in the general RPI.