§ MR. FELLI beg to ask the Prime Minister if he has had any calculation 1380 made of the number of persons who have been thrown out of employment by the introduction of the Licensing Bill.
§ MR. ASQUITHNo, Sir; it is impossible to make any trustworthy calculation.
§ MR. FELLasked whether the right hon. Gentleman would take into consideration the decrease of work that must follow from the necessary cessation of all building work on licensed premises. Many had been thrown out of employment through the arbitrary action of owners of tied houses.
§ MR. H. C. LEA (St. Pancras, E.)asked whether it was not the fact that 150,000 men had been thrown out of employment by the introduction of the Licensing Bill.
§ MR. ASQUITHThat is a perfectly ridiculous statement.
§ MR. BRIGHT (Oldham)I beg to ask the Prime Minister whether he will be willing, on the report of the Licensing Bill, to insert words providing that in the local options which are to be enacted by Parliament on the termination of the reduction period other methods of public control than limiting or reducing the number of licences shall be included.
§ MR. ASQUITHwas understood to reply in the affirmative, adding that if a provision of this kind were made it was desirable that every possible option should be given.