Finance Act 2004

Alcoholic liquor duties

2 Rate of duty on beer

(1) In section 36(1AA)(a) of the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979 (c. 4) (rate of duty on beer) for “£12.22” substitute “£12.59”.

(2) This section shall be deemed to have come into force at midnight on 21st March 2004.

3 Rates of duty on wine and made-wine

(1) For Part 1 of the Table of rates of duty in Schedule 1 to the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979 (rates of duty on wine and made-wine) substitute—

“Part 1 Wine and made-wine of a strength not exceeding 22 per cent

Description of wine or made-wine	Rates of duty per hectolitre
	£
Wine or made-wine of a strength not exceeding 4 per cent	50.38
Wine or made-wine of a strength exceeding 4 per cent but not exceeding 5.5 per cent	69.27
Wine or made-wine of a strength exceeding 5.5 per cent but not exceeding 15 per cent and not sparkling	163.47
Sparkling wine or sparkling made-wine of a strength exceeding 5.5 per cent but less than 8.5 per cent	166.70
Sparkling wine or sparkling made-wine of a strength of 8.5 per cent or of a strength exceeding 8.5 per cent but not exceeding 15 per cent	220.54
Wine or made-wine of a strength exceeding 15 per cent but not exceeding 22 per cent	217.95”

(2) This section shall be deemed to have come into force at midnight on 21st March 2004.

4 Duty stamps for spirits etc

(1) At the beginning of Part 6 of the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979 (c. 4) (general control provisions) under the heading “Sale of dutiable alcoholic liquors” insert—

“64A Retail containers of certain alcoholic liquors to be stamped

Schedule 2A to this Act (duty stamps) has effect.”.

(2) Before Schedule 3 to that Act insert the Schedule 2A set out in Schedule 1 to this Act.

(3) In section 12(2) of the Finance Act 1994 (c. 9) (defaults engaging Commissioners' power to assess excise duty to the best of their judgement) after paragraph (c) insert—

“(ca) any failure by any person to comply with a requirement to which he is made subject by or under Schedule 2A to the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979 (duty stamps);”.

(4) In section 14(1) of that Act (reviewable decisions) after paragraph (bc) insert—

“(bd) any decision by the Commissioners as to whether or not any person is entitled to any repayment or credit by virtue of regulations under paragraph 4(2)(h) of Schedule 2A to the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979 (duty stamps), or the amount of the repayment or credit to which any person is so entitled;

(be) any decision by the Commissioners made by virtue of regulations under paragraph 4(2)(i) of that Schedule that some or all of a payment made, or security provided, is forfeit, or the amount which is so forfeit;”.

(5) The amendments made by this section have effect in relation to retail containers containing alcoholic liquor if the excise duty point for the alcoholic liquor falls on or after such day as the Treasury may by order made by statutory instrument appoint.

(6) An order under subsection (5) may contain such supplemental and transitional provision and savings as the Treasury think fit in connection with the coming into effect of those amendments.

(7) In subsection (5) “excise duty point” has the meaning given by section 1 of the Finance (No. 2) Act 1992 (c. 48).