§ MR. J. G. TALBOT (Oxford University)asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, Whether his attention has been called to recent prosecutions of Licensed Victuallers in Westminster for breaches of the Adulteration Acts; whether such prosecutions resulted in conviction; and, whether the record of such convictions was laid before the Justices at the Licensing Sessions held at the Guildhall, Westminster, on the 1st March; and, if not, whether he will give instructions that full information as to licensed premises shall be sent from the various Police Courts of the Metropolis to the Justices acting at such Licensing Sessions?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. MATTHEWS) (Birmingham, E.)It is the fact that there have recently been prosecutions of Licensed Victuallers at Westminster and other Courts, and many of such prosecutions have resulted in convictions. A list of convictions is not submitted to the Licensing Justices by the officials of the Court; but it is usual for the solicitor to the Board of Inland Revenue to furnish an account of such proceedings to the Licensing Justices' clerk, who, moreover, if authorized by a Justice, has power to inspect, without fee or reward, the Register of Convictions, which is kept at every Court. Full information as to such convictions is also given by the police to the Licensing Justices. Under these circumstances, I do not think it necessary for me to issue instructions such as my hon. Friend suggests, which would entail much additional labour on the clerks to the police-courts.