asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will indicate on what basis his statement was made that it would cost the Exchequer £1,000,000 per annum to allow a rebate of one-half of the Excise Duty at present charged on spirit used in the manufacture of perfumery articles; and whether he is aware that the customs and excise authorities have stated that they have no figures upon which they can estimate the amount of such loss?

No precise official statistics are available, because the spirit used is duty-paid and no longer under Revenue supervision. The figure given by me was the result of Departmental inquiries into the use of spirit in perfumery and the closely allied trade of essences.