§ MR. ADKINS (Lancashire, Middleton)I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether, if Clause 1 of the Licensing Bill becomes law, it will be possible under any circumstances to grant a licence for a new hotel in any place while the number of licences in that place is above the strict statutory scale.
§ MR. ASQUITHUnder the clause as it stands at present such a licence could in my opinion be granted under the provisions for the modification of the statutory scale, but, as it is a matter of considerable practical importance, I propose to make the matter clear by inserting on the Report stage an express enactment that in proper circumstances and under proper limitations a new licence can be granted to an hotel, notwithstanding the provisions of the clause. The provision would apply not only to hotels, but to railway refreshment rooms, &c.
§ MR. ADKINSI beg to ask the Prime Minister whether the inclusion in Clause 1 of the Licensing Bill of the period of fourteen years as the period for the statutory reduction of on-licences necessarily involves the retention of fourteen years as the period for the time-limit under Clause 3.
§ MR. ASQUITHNo, Sir; the period for the statutory reduction under Clause 1, and the period for the time-limit under Clause 3, need not necessarily be identical.
§ MR. CHARLES ROBERTS (Lincoln)May I ask whether the decision taken under Clause 1 necessarily precludes the possibility of shortening the period under Clause 3?
§ MR. ASQUITHNo, Sir, neither shortening nor lengthening.