§ MR. CAMPBELL-BANNERMANasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether he has been rightly understood as having said that, owing to urgent representations which had been made to Her Majesty's Government, it was intended to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into the Licensing System in Scotland; and, if so, whether he will state from whom these representations proceeded?
MR. ASSHETON CROSSNo; I have never said, that I am aware of, that "urgent representations" had been made to me to grant this Commission. I have said many representations have been made to me, and so they have. I have received several deputations in regard to the Bill of the hon. Baronet (Sir Robert Anstruther), and a great number of gentlemen who have come upon that matter have asked the Government to issue a Royal Commission on this question; but I have never given any opinion upon it, nor have I laid the matter before the Government.