§ MR. CHARLES ROBERTS (Lincoln)To ask the President of the Local Government Board whether the total number of 258,654 persons, enumerated by the General Report of the Census, page 126, as being occupied in England and Wales as maltsters in breweries and distilleries, as wine and spirit merchants, as keepers of inns and hotels, as publicans, beer sellers, and cider dealers, as cellar men, beer bottlers, barmen, and barmaids, and others engaged in the service of inns, hotels, and eating-houses, includes all persons engaged in the making or selling of intoxicating liquors; and, if not what additional numbers are shown by the Census to be employed directly in these trades.
(Answered by Mr. John Burns.) I am informed by the Registrar General that the 258,654 persons referred to in the Question include all those who definitely returned themselves as employed in making intoxication liquors, but that the number probably includes some persons employed in temperance hotels, and, therefore, having no connection with the making or sale of such liquors. Many persons who are engaged in the storage and distribution of intoxicating liquors and in clerical work connected with the sale and distribution of these liquors are included under such headings as draymen, carters, warehousemen, commercial clerks, and commercial travellers. Persons, such as grocers and confectioners, who hold licences and sell intoxicating liquors as a subsidiary part of their business are included, together with their employees, under the headings grocers, confectioners, etc. The total number of persons employed in these trades cannot be shown in the Census, as each person can be classified under one heading only, the principal occupation being selected in each case.