§ MR. CAVETo ask the Prime Minister whether he can give the materials on which he founds his estimate that the number of on-licences to be refused under Clause 1 of the Licensing Bill during the statutory period of reduction will be from 30,000 to 32,000; and, if the estimate is founded on an investigation relating to certain licensing areas only, whether he will name the areas selected.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Gladstone.) My right hon. friend has asked me to answer this Question. I would refer 470 the hon. Member to the Answer given on 16th March to a somewhat similar Question put by the hon. Member for Ayr Burghs, and can only add that the Government framed the estimate in question to the best of their ability for the assistance of the House in judging roughly the total effect of the scheme of reduction provided for in the Bill, and that there is no further information on the point which the Government can usefully present to the House.