Finance Act 1995

4 Alcoholic ingredients relief

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, where any person proves to the satisfaction of the Commissioners that any dutiable alcoholic liquor on which duty has been paid has been—

(a) used as an ingredient in the production or manufacture of a product falling within subsection (2) below, or

(b) converted into vinegar,

he shall be entitled to obtain from the Commissioners the repayment of the duty paid thereon.

(2) The products falling within this subsection are—

(a) any beverage of an alcoholic strength not exceeding 1.2 per cent.,

(b) chocolates for human consumption which contain alcohol such that 100 kilograms of the chocolates would not contain more than 8.5 litres of alcohol, or

(c) any other food for human consumption which contains alcohol such that 100 kilograms of the food would not contain more than 5 litres of alcohol.

(3) A repayment of duty shall not be made under this section in respect of any liquor except to a person who—

(a) is the person who used the liquor as an ingredient in a product falling within subsection (2) above or, as the case may be, who converted it into vinegar;

(b) carries on a business as a wholesale supplier of products of the applicable description falling within that subsection or, as the case may be, of vinegar;

(c) produced or manufactured the product or vinegar for the purposes of that business;

(d) makes a claim for the repayment in accordance with the following provisions of this section; and

(e) satisfies the Commissioners as to the matters mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (c) above and that the repayment claimed does not relate to any duty which has been repaid or drawn back prior to the making of the claim.

(4) A claim for repayment under this section shall take such form and be made in such manner, and shall contain such particulars, as the Commissioners may direct, either generally or in a particular case.

(5) Except so far as the Commissioners otherwise allow, a person shall not make a claim for a repayment under this section unless—

(a) the claim relates to duty paid on liquor used as an ingredient or, as the case may be, converted into vinegar in the course of a period of three months ending not more than one month before the making of the claim; and

(b) the amount of the repayment which is claimed is not less than £250.

(6) The Commissioners may by order made by statutory instrument increase the amount for the time being specified in subsection (5)(b) above; and a statutory instrument containing an order under this subsection shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of the House of Commons.

(7) There may be remitted by the Commissioners any duty charged either—

(a) on any dutiable alcoholic liquor imported into the United Kingdom at a time when it is contained as an ingredient in any chocolates or food falling within subsection (2)(b) or (c) above; or

(b) on any dutiable alcoholic liquor used as an ingredient in the manufacture or production in an excise warehouse of any such chocolates or food.

(8) This section shall be construed as one with the [1979 c. 4.] Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979, and references in this section to chocolates or food do not include references to any beverages.