§ Mr. BOYTONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that in the notices to pay the sums required to be paid in July under the last Finance Act, which have just been delivered to off-licence traders in London, repayment is made of the wholesale spirit licences at present held by retail spirit traders who have hitherto been required to take a wholesale licence in order to obtain a retail licence, and no corresponding repayment is made of the wholesale beer licences at present held by retail beer traders who have hitherto been required to take a wholesale beer licence in order to obtain the retail licence; and whether he will direct that repayment be made in respect of the beer licences as well as in respect of the spirit licences at present held?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEIn the past a person who desired to sell spirits by retail in England for consumption off the premises could not do so unless he first obtained a dealer's (wholesale) licence. The cases where a person has been obliged to take out a beer dealer's (wholesale) licence to enable him to obtain a retail beer licence are, I am advised, few in number. If such cases are brought to the notice of the Board of Customs and Excise, they will be prepared to follow the principle adopted with regard to the spirit licence, as described in the first part of the question.