Alcoholic Liquor Duties Act 1979

Part VIU.K. General Control Provisions

Sale of dutiable alcoholic liquorsU.K.

[F164ARetail containers of certain alcoholic liquors to be stampedU.K.

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

65 Excise licence for dealing wholesale in certain alcoholic liquors.U.K.

(1)—(7). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2

(8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F3

66. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4U.K.

[66AF5 Blending of alcoholic liquors.U.K.

(1)Subject to subsections (4) to (6) below, a person shall not blend two or more alcoholic liquors—

(a)each of which is of a kind mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (e) of section 1(1) above, but

(b)not all of which fall within the same one of those paragraphs,

except in an excise warehouse or on premises which, in relation to the liquors blended, are for the time being permitted premises.

(2)Subject to subsections (4) to (6) below, a person shall not blend two or more alcoholic liquors which—

(a)fall within the same paragraph of section 1(1) above, but

(b)are not all of the same alcoholic strength,

except in an excise warehouse or on premises which, in relation to the liquors blended, are for the time being permitted premises.

(3)In relation to the blending of particular alcoholic liquors—

(a)if the liquor which is the product of the blending is beer, permitted premises are premises which are registered under section 41A above and premises in respect of which a person is registered under section 47 above;

(b)if the liquor which is the product of the blending is wine, permitted premises are premises in respect of which a licence under section 54(2) above is held;

(c)if the liquor which is the product of the blending is made-wine, permitted premises are premises in respect of which a licence under section 55(2) above is held;

(d)if the liquor which is the product of the blending is cider, permitted premises are premises in respect of which a person is registered under section 62 above.

(4)Subsections (1) and (2) above do not apply unless the blending is done with a view to offering for sale the liquor which is the product of the blending.

(5)Subsections (1) and (2) above do not apply where the liquor which is the product of the blending is intended for consumption on the premises on which the blending takes place.

(6)The Commissioners may direct that subsections (1) and (2) above shall not apply to the blending of alcoholic liquors in such circumstances as are specified in the direction.

(7)Where a person contravenes subsection (1) or (2) above, the following shall be liable to forfeiture—

(a)the liquor which is the product of the blending;

(b)all such vessels, utensils and materials for the blending of alcoholic liquors as are found in his possession.

(8)In this section any reference to blending liquors includes a reference to otherwise mixing them.]

F667 Power to regulate keeping of dutiable alcoholic liquors by wholesalers and retailers.U.K.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

68. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7U.K.

F869 Miscellaneous provisions as to wholesalers and retailers of spirits.U.K.

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70. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F9U.K.

F1071 Penalty for mis-describing liquor as spirits.U.K.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F1171A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .U.K.

F1272. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .U.K.

73. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F13U.K.

F1474 Liquor to be deemed wine or spirits.U.K.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F15Denatured alcohol]U.K.

75 Licence or authority to manufacture and deal wholesale in [F16denatured alcohol].U.K.

(1)The Commissioners may authorise any distiller, rectifier or compounder to [F16denatured alcohol], and any person so authorised is referred to in this Act as an “authorised [F17denaturer]”.

(2)No person other than an authorised [F17denaturer] shall [F17denature] [F18dutiable alcoholic liquor] or deal wholesale in [F16denatured alcohol] unless he holds an excise licence as a [F17denaturer] under this section.

F19(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F20(4). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5)[F21Where any person], not being an authorised [F17denaturer, [F17denatures] [F18dutiable alcoholic liquor] otherwise than under and in accordance with a licence under this section [F22his doing so shall attract a penalty under section 9 of the Finance Act 1994 (civil penalties).]

(6)The Commissioners may at any time revoke or suspend any authorisation or licence granted under this section.

(7)For the purposes of this section, dealing wholesale means the sale at any one time to any one person of a quantity of [F16denatured alcohol] of not less than [F2320 litres] or such smaller quantity as the Commissioners may by regulations specify.]

F2476. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . U.K.

77 Power to make regulations relating to [F25denatured alcohol].U.K.

(1)The Commissioners may with a view to the protection of the revenue make regulations—

(a)regulating the [F26denaturing] of [F27dutiable alcoholic liquor] and the supply, storage, removal, sale, delivery, receipt, use and exportation or shipment as stores of [F25denatured alcohol];

F28(b). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c)permitting [F27dutiable alcoholic liquor] to be [F29denatured] in warehouse;

(d)permitting [F30dealing wholesale (within the meaning of section 75 above) without a licence in] such [F25denatured alcohol] as may be specified in the regulations;

(e)regulating the importation, receipt, removal, storage and use of [F27dutiable alcoholic liquor] for [F26denaturing];

(f)regulating the storage and removal of substances to be used in [F26denaturing] [F27dutiable alcoholic liquor];

(g)prescribing the manner in which account is to be kept of stocks of [F25denatured alcohol] in the possession of authorised or licensed [F29denaturers] and of retailers of [F25denatured alcohol];

(h)for securing any duty chargeable in respect of [F25denatured alcohol] of any class.

(2)Different regulations may be made under this section with respect to different classes of [F25denatured alcohol] or different kinds of [F25denatured alcohol] of any class [F31and, without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1) above, regulations under this section may—

(a)provide for the imposition under the regulations of conditions and restrictions relating to the matters mentioned in that subsection, and

[F32(aa)frame any provision of the regulations with respect to the supply, receipt or use of denatured alcohol by reference to matters to be contained from time to time in a notice published in accordance with the regulations by the Commissioners and having effect until withdrawn in accordance with the regulations; and]

(b)impose or provide for the imposition by regulations of requirements on authorised or licensed [F29denaturers] and on retailers of [F25denatured alcohol] to keep and preserve records relating to their businesses as such and to produce them to an officer when required to do so for the purpose of allowing him to inspect them, to copy or take extracts from them or to remove them at a reasonable time and for a reasonable period.]

[F33(2A)Where any documents removed under the powers conferred by subsection (2)(b) above are lost or damaged the Commissioners shall be liable to compensate their owner for any expenses reasonably incurred by him in replacing or repairing the documents.]

(3)If any person contravenes or fails to comply with any regulation under this section, [F34or with any condition, restriction or requirement imposed under such a regulation, [F35his contravention or failure to comply shall attract a penalty under section 9 of the Finance Act 1994 (civil penalties)]].

(4)If, save as permitted by any regulation under this section, any person [F36deals wholesale (within the meaning of section 75 above) in] [F25denatured alcohol] otherwise than under and in accordance with a licence under section 75 F37... above, [F38his doing so shall attract a penalty under section 9 of the Finance Act 1994 (civil penalties).]

(5)Any [F27dutiable alcoholic liquor] or [F25denatured alcohol] in respect of which [F39there is such a contravention or failure to comply as is mentioned in subsection (3) above or any such dealing as is mentioned in subsection (4) above] shall be liable to forfeiture.

F40(6). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F4178Defaults in respect of denatured alcohol.U.K.

(1)This subsection applies if, at any time when an account is taken and a balance struck of the quantity of any kind of denatured alcohol in the possession of an authorised or licensed denaturer, there is a difference between—

(a)the quantity (“the actual amount”) of the dutiable alcoholic liquor of any description in the denatured alcohol in his possession; and

(b)the quantity (“the proper amount”) of dutiable alcoholic liquor of that description which, according to any such accounts as are required to be kept by virtue of any regulations under section 77 above, ought to be in the denatured alcohol in his possession.

(2)Subsection (1) above shall not apply if the difference constitutes—

(a)an excess of the actual amount over the proper amount of not more than 1 per cent. of the aggregate of—

(i)the quantity of dutiable alcoholic liquor of the description in question in the balance of dutiable alcoholic liquor struck when an account was last taken; and

(ii)the quantity of dutiable alcoholic liquor of that description which has since been lawfully added to the denaturer’s stock;

or

(b)a deficiency such that the actual amount is less than the proper amount by not more than 2 per cent. of that aggregate.

(3)If, where subsection (1) above applies, the actual amount exceeds the proper amount, the relevant amount of any dutiable alcoholic liquor of the description in question which is in the possession of the denaturer shall be liable to forfeiture; and for this purpose the relevant amount is the amount corresponding to the amount of the excess or such part of that amount as the Commissioners consider appropriate.

(4)If, where subsection (1) above applies, the actual amount is less than the proper amount, the denaturer shall, on demand by the Commissioners, pay on the amount of the deficiency, or on such part of it as the Commissioners may specify in the demand, the duty payable on dutiable alcoholic liquor of the description comprised in the deficiency.

(5)If any person—

(a)supplies to another, in contravention of any regulations under section 77 above, any denatured alcohol containing dutiable alcoholic liquor of any description, or

(b)uses any such denatured alcohol in contravention of any such regulations,

that person shall, on demand by the Commissioners, pay on the amount of dutiable alcoholic liquor of that description comprised, at the time of its supply or use, in the denatured alcohol that is so supplied or used, or on such part of it as the Commissioners may specify, the duty payable on dutiable alcoholic liquor of that description.

(6)Any supply of denatured alcohol to a person who—

(a)by virtue of any regulations under section 77 above is prohibited from receiving it unless authorised to do so by or under the regulations, and

(b)is not so authorised in the case of the denatured alcohol supplied to him,

shall be taken for the purposes of subsection (5) above to be a supply in contravention of those regulations.

(7)A demand made for the purposes of subsection (4) or (5) above shall be combined, as if there had been a default such as is mentioned in that section, with an assessment and notification under section 12 of the M1Finance Act 1994 (assessments to excise duty) of the amount of duty due in consequence of the making of the demand.]

79 Inspection of premises, etc.U.K.

Without prejudice to any other power conferred by the Customs and Excise Acts 1979, an officer may in the daytime enter and inspect the premises of any person authorised by regulations made under section 77 above to receive [F42denatured alcohol], and may inspect and examine any [F42denatured alcohol] thereon and take samples of any [F42denatured alcohol] or of any goods containing [F42denatured alcohol], paying a reasonable price for each sample.

80 Prohibition of use of [F43denatured alcohol], etc. as a beverage or medicine.U.K.

(1)If any person—

(a)prepares or attempts to prepare any liquor to which this section applies for use as a beverage or as a mixture with a beverage; or

(b)sells any such liquor, whether so prepared or not, as a beverage or mixed with a beverage; or

(c)uses any such liquor or any derivative thereof in the preparation of any article capable of being used wholly or partially as a beverage or internally as a medicine; or

(d)sells or has in his possession any such article in the preparation of which any such liquor or any derivative thereof has been used; or

(e)except as permitted by the Commissioners and in accordance with any conditions imposed by them, purifies or attempts to purify any such liquor or, after any such liquor has once been used, recovers or attempts to recover the spirit or alcohol contained therein by distillation or condensation or in any other manner,

he shall be liable on summary conviction to a penalty of [F44level 3 on the standard scale] and the liquor in respect of which the offence was committed shall be liable to forfeiture.

(2)Nothing in this section shall prohibit the use of any liquor to which this section applies or any derivative thereof—

(a)in the preparation for use as a medicine of sulphuric ether, chloroform, or any other article which the Commissioners may by order specify; or

(b)in the making for external use only of any article sold or supplied in accordance with regulations made by the Commissioners under section 77 above; or

(c)in any art or manufacture,

or the sale or possession of any article permitted to be prepared or made by virtue of paragraph (a) or (b) above where the article is sold or possessed for use as mentioned in that paragraph.

(3)The liquors to which this section applies are [F43denatured alcohol], methyl alcohol, and any mixture containing [F43denatured alcohol] or methyl alcohol.

Still licencesU.K.

81. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F45U.K.

F4682 Power to make regulations with respect to stills.U.K.

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83. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F47U.K.

Relief from, and payment by instalments of, liquor licence dutiesU.K.

84. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F48U.K.

85. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F49U.K.

86 Reduced duty on certain part-year licences.U.K.

(1)This section applies to an excise licence granted under the following provisions of this Act for the following purposes respectively, that is to say—

(a). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F50

(b)—(d). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F51

(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F52

(3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F53

87, 88.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F54U.K.