WHISKY STRIP STAMPS

Early day motion 958, tabled 31 March 2004 by Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party). Signed by 95 members.

That this House shares the concerns of the Scotch Whisky Association and trade unions representing workers in the whisky industry that Government plans to introduce strip stamps will be a burden to the industry, will undermine its competitiveness and cost jobs; believes that whilst effective measures must be taken against fraud, this scheme as a device to prevent it is fundamentally flawed; shares the dismay of the Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Scotch Whisky Industry Group, the honourable Member for Dumbarton that the Government should go ahead with the scheme regardless of repeated representations; recognises the continuing opposition of the all-party parliamentary group to the plan; and calls on all honourable and Right honourable members who oppose strip stamps to vote in accordance with their publicly declared concerns at every opportunity.

Signatures by party: Conservative 54, Liberal Democrat 28, Scottish National Party 5, Plaid Cymru 4, UUP 3, Independent Conservative 1.