(1)Section 55 of the Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979 (charge of excise duty on made-wine) shall be amended as follows.
(2)In subsection (5) (which, where certain conditions are satisfied, lifts the requirement to hold a licence for premises where made-wine is produced),after paragraph (d) there shall be added “and
(e)he does not blend or otherwise mix—
(i)two or more made-wines, or
(ii)one or more made-wines and one or more wines,
so as to produce made-wine the rate of duty applicable to which is higher than the rate applicable to at least one of the constituent liquors. ”
(3)After subsection (5) there shall be inserted—
“(5A)For the purposes of subsection (5) above—
(a)the rate of duty applicable to any made-wine is that which is or would be chargeable under subsection (1) above on its importation into the United Kingdom; and
(b)the rate of duty applicable to any wine is that which is or would be chargeable under subsection (1) of section 54 above on its importation into the United Kingdom.”
(4)This section shall have effect in relation to the blending or other mixing of made-wines, or of made-wines and wines, on or after the day on which this Act is passed.