§ MR. T. FRY (Darlington)asked the President of the Local Government Board, If there is any power given in 890 the Compensation Clauses of the licensing portion of the Local Government Bill to prevent higher compensation being paid for licences which may be removed to better premises, after the passing of the Act, than those where the licence was held before that date, and which, in some cases, may have been destroyed in the meantime?
§ THE PRESIDENT (Mr. RITCHIE) (Tower Hamlets, St. George's)I think that when a new building is erected in the place of premises which were licensed at the date of the passing of the Local Government Bill, the effect of Clause 13 (3) of the Bill will be that, in the event of the renewal of the licence being refused, the compensation will have to be determined with reference to the premises which existed at the passing of the Act, and not to the new premises; as the compensation is to be assessed on the basis of the difference between the value of the licensed premises immediately before the passing of the Act and the value which such premises would have then borne if the licence had then determined.
§ MR. T. FRYsaid, he could not understand how the value of premises that might be destroyed or in the meantime entirely rebuilt could be ascertained for purposes of valuation five years afterwards. Some kind of valuation must be made of those public-houses.
§ MR. RITCHIEI do not know whether the hon. Member asks me the Question; but I should say that that will have to be determined by the arbitrators.
§ MR. ESSLEMONT (Aberdeen, E.)May I ask if the value of the premises is the only ground of compensation; and whether any compensation is to be given for loss of trade?
§ MR. RITCHIEThe compensation, according to the Bill, is for the value of the premises with a licence, as against the premises without a licence.