§ Mr. PATRICK WHITEasked if the right hon. Gentleman will state what Licence Duty will be payable by an hotel company in respect of premises situated in a place the population of which exceeds 100,000, with a valuation of £745, and a percentage as regards the sale of liquor 511 to the entire receipts of 17.5 per cent.; what Licence Duty would be payable on an hotel situated in a place the population of which does not exceed 50,000, with a valuation of £140, and in which the percentage of the sales of liquor is only 7 per cent, of the entire takings; and what Licence Duty would be payable on an hotel the valuation of which is £20, situated in a place where the population exceeds 5,000 and is under 10,000, and where the percentage of receipts from liquor sales is 20 per cent, of the entire receipts?
§ Mr. HOBHOUSEThe duty on the licence for the first-mentioned hotel would, by reference to the percentage of sales, be reduced to £130 7s. 6d., and the duty on the licences for each of the other two hotels would, by reference to the percentage of sales, be reduced to a duty according to the minimum rates applicable to licensed premises in the areas in which they are situate, namely, £20 and £15 respectively. In lieu of these duties the duty payable for the licenses may, at the option of the person by whom the duty is payable, be under Clause 31 of the Bill (but subject to a minimum as provided by the clause), a duty of 33 per cent, on the annual compensation value of the hotel as certified under the clause.