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Finance Bill

I am afraid to say that the hon. Gentleman was not there for the negotiations. I am going to mention the Liberal Democrat position on cider in recent years, because I am afraid that it has not been beneficial to the argument the hon. Gentleman is making this evening. I just mentioned The Wurzels, and a piece of breaking news is that The Wurzels have today issued a press release welcoming the Government climbdown. It states:""Here in the West Country cider is close to our hearts and if we, through our music and association with cider, helped bring this campaign to a ciderhead, then I think we all deserve a pint"." If they can wait until after 30 June, I can tell them that that pint will be rather cheaper, thanks to Conservative pressure yesterday evening. Similarly, the National Association of Cider Makers has rightly said that the increase""has the potential to undermine what businesses both large and small have done and the great contribution they are making to the rural economy and communities they are part of."" On a number of occasions, I have met the NACM and some of the many small craft cider makers it represents. Their businesses are threatened by the Government's actions. In the west country and beyond, they know how punitive a 10 per cent. duty increase will be.