§ MR. ASHLEYI beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is contemplated that the reduction 520 schemes to be prepared by the licensing justices under Clause 6 of the Licensing Bill shall specify the particular licenses to be discontinued; and whether in that case steps will be taken to ensure that no Government Department owning licensed houses shall have information earlier than the general public of the houses with which it is proposed to deal.
§ MR. ASQUITHNo, Sir. Under Clause 7, the particular licences to be extinguished are to be selected by the licensing justices, after the scheme has been submitted to and approved by the Licensing Commission; and it is explicitly provided that the selection of licences for extinction shall be in the free and unqualified discretion of the licensing justices.