HC Deb 05 April 1905 vol 144 cc454-5
*MR. LEIF JONES (Westmoreland, Appleby)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the case of a licence which, after objection by a member of the public, is reported to the compensation authority by the renewal authority as not required, he has yet taken any steps to secure that the objecting member of the public shall be heard by the compensation authority before that body comes to any decision as to whether the licence in question shall or shall not be renewed; and, if not, whether he will consider the desirability of immediately taking such steps, seeing that the preliminary meetings of compensation authorities are in some counties already being held.

*MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS

No, Sir. It appears to me, that, under the procedure prescribed by the Licensing Rules, 1904, there is every opportunity for the proper consideration of the public requirements in the execution of the duty imposed on the compensation authority by the Act. I have nothing to add to my previous Answer.

*MR. LEIF JONES

said the whole point was that the licensing authority, before they could refuse a licence, must hear the licensee who is affected, but they may renew a licence without hearing the member of the public who has raised the objection. It is not at all the same thing.