§ MR. GRETTON (Derbyshire, S.); To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he can state what will be the position of persons holding long leases of premises the licences of which are taken away, under the Licensing Bill, in regard to the existing covenants in such leases undertaken by the leaseholder in consideration of the premises being licensed; and would the leaseholder for the remainder of the term continue liable for the full rent he agreed to pay for the premises as licensed premises.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Akers-Douglas.) It seems to me that the position of leaseholders of premises of which the licences may be extinguished under the Bill will not differ (except in so far as they may receive compensation) from the position of leaseholders in similar circumstances under the existing law, and will depend in each case on the terms of the lease. If the lease were accurately drawn, the covenants entered into by the tenant in consideration of the premises being licensed would, I suppose, be expressed so as to be operative only so long as the premises were licensed. If, however, it appears in discussion of the Bill that further provision on this point is desirable, an amendment can be considered.