HC Deb 24 March 1994 vol 240 cc427-8W
Mr. McKelvey

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will include in the agenda for the forthcoming EU/Bulgaria associations agreement meeting the tariff levels and excise tax rates facing Scotch whisky and other imported spirits in Bulgaria.

Mr. Needham

Following representations from my Department to the European Commission, this matter has been placed on the agenda for the agricultural sub-committee of the joint committee of the EU/Bulgaria interim agreement, which takes place in Sofia on 23–25 March.

Mr. McKelvey

To ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he has raised with the Hungarian Government the effect on Scotch whisky exporters of Hungary's restrictive quota system applied to imported spirits.

Mr. Needham

My Department has been aware of the difficulties which importers of spirits face in this market for some time, and has raised these with Hungarian counterparts when appropriate.

We have agreed with the Scotch Whisky Association that, over the next few months at least, we may be of greatest help in supporting the industry's representations to the Hungarian administration. This we are doing, although recognising that progress may be difficult to sustain over the period of the Hungarian general elections which are due to be held in May.