§ CAPTAIN PRICE (Devonport)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether, with the view of enabling the local authorities to more effectually control places of public entertainment, he would bring in a Bill to extend the provisions of the Act 25 Geo. 2, c. 36, s. 2, at present only applicable to the Metropolis, to the whole of the United Kingdom?
THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. CHILDERS) (Edinburgh, S.)Except in a letter from the hon. and gallant Member himself, I have had no information laid before me showing that the Local Authorities have not, under the present law, sufficient power to control places of public entertainment. Under these circumstances, I cannot pledge myself to recommend legislation in the direction proposed—that is to say, by extending the operation of Section 2 of the Act 31 quoted, by which any house, garden, or other place kept for public entertainment without a licence shall be deemed a disorderly house or place. This now only applies to the cities of London and Westminster, and to places within 20 miles of them.