Finance Act 1974

1 Increase of duties on spirits, beer, wine, British wine and tobacco

(1) The rate of the duty of excise chargeable under section 1 of the [1964 c. 49.] Finance Act 1964 on British spirits by virtue of Schedule 1 to the [1973 c. 51.] Finance Act 1973 shall be increased by £1.5600 per proof gallon.

(2) The rates of the duties of customs chargeable under the said section 1 on imported spirits other than perfumed spirits by virtue of Schedule 1 to the Finance Act 1973 or any relevant order shall each be increased—

(a) in the case of spirits not comprised in paragraph (b) below, by £1.5600 per proof gallon ; and

(b) in the case of liqueurs, cordials, mixtures and other preparations in bottle, entered in such manner as to indicate that the strength is not to be tested, by £2.1000 per liquid gallon.

(3) The rates of the duties of customs and excise chargeable under section 2 of the [1964 c. 49.] Finance Act 1964 on beer by virtue of Schedule 2 to the [1973 c. 51.] Finance Act 1973 or any relevant order shall each be increased—

(a) except as regards the increases mentioned in paragraph (b) below, by £2.4600 per 36 gallons; and

(b) as regards the increases in the rates of duty falling to be made, in the case of beer of an original gravity exceeding 1,030 degrees, for each additional degree, by £0.0220 per 36 gallons ;

and as respects beer on which there have been paid duties of customs or excise at the said increased rates, the rates of drawback allowable under the said section 2 by virtue of the said Schedule 2 or any such order shall each be increased by the like amount per 36 gallons.

(4) The rates of the duties of customs chargeable under section 3 of the Finance Act 1964 on imported wine by virtue of Schedule 3 to the Finance Act 1973 or any relevant order shall each be increased—

(a) except as regards the additions mentioned in paragraph (b) below, by £0.5450 per gallon ; and

(b) as regards the additions to the rates of duty falling to be made, in the case of wine exceeding 42 degrees of proof spirit, for each additional degree or fraction of a degree, by £0.0450 per gallon.

For the purposes of this subsection " wine " includes the lees of wine.

(5) The rates of the duty of excise chargeable under section 3 of the Finance Act 1964 on British wine by virtue of Schedule 4 to the Finance Act 1973 shall each be increased by £0.5450 per gallon.

(6) The rates of the duties of customs and excise chargeable under section 4 of the Finance Act 1964 on tobacco by virtue of Schedule 5 to the Finance Act 1973 or any relevant order shall each be increased by £1.4000 per pound; and as respects tobacco on which there have been paid duties of customs or excise at the said increased rates, the rates of drawback allowable under the said section 4 by virtue of the said Schedule 5 or any such order shall each be increased by the like amount per pound.

(7) In this section " relevant order " means any order made before 27th March 1974 under subsection (4) of section 1 of the [1973 c. 51.] Finance Act 1973 (power to alter rates of duties of customs and of drawbacks); and the preceding provisions of this section are without prejudice to the powers conferred on the Treasury by that section.

(8) This section shall be deemed to have come into force on 27th March 1974, and as from 23rd May 1974 shall have effect as if in subsection (4) " relevant order " included the [S.I. 1973/2224.] Customs Duties (Quota Relief) Order 1973 (but without prejudice to the powers conferred on the Secretary of State by section 5 of the [1958 c. 6.] Import Duties Act 1958).