§ MR. GIBBS (Bristol, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will state the total number of licences for the sale of intoxicating liquor which have been extinguished under the provisions of the Act of 1904; and whether he will give the average annual net reduction in the number of on-licences, for a period of ten years before the Act of 1904 came into operation, and the average annual net reduction in the number of the same class of licences which has been subsequently effected under that Act.
§ MR. HERBERT SAMUELThe hon. Member will find the information he desires in the Annual Volumes of Licensing Statistics. The compilation of the volume for 1907 is not yet complete, but the Secretary of State can give the following figures as approximately correct. In the three years 1905–6–7, the renewal of about 3,332 on-licences was refused subject to compensation under the Act of 1904, but a certain number of these await the 524 payment which will actually extinguish them. The total number paid for and extinguished before 31st December last, is about 2,669, showing an average annual reduction of 889 licences under the Act of 1904. In addition, there was an annual average reduction without compensation of 418 licences—due to various causes. After deducting the average number of new licences granted (fifty-five) the net average annual reduction for the three years is about 1,250, as compared with an average of 386 for the period of ten years before the Act of 1904 came into operation.
§ MR. CHARLES ROBERTS (Lincoln)Does not this represent a reduction of one and a half licences for each licensing district in England and Wales?
§ MR. HERBERT SAMUELWill the hon. Member please give notice of that Question?