§ Mr. GEORGE YOUNGERasked what progress has been made with the issue of schedules and the preparation of the register of annual licence values in the case of fully-licensed houses and beerhouses under £500 of annual value?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEUp to the present no progress has been made. Of course, the preliminaries have taken so long with regard to other parts of the 1337 Act. We hope, after having cleared off the first part, the licences, to proceed afterwards to the enumeration of the schedules. So far the issue of schedules in the case of houses under £500 of annual value has been confined to licensed premises which it is expected will be entitled as hotels or restaurants, under Section 45 of the Finance (1909–10) Act, 1910, to have the benefit of the reduced charge of duty by reference to the "annual licence value" of the premises. The ascertainment of the annual licence value in the case of fully licensed houses, and beerhouses of an annual value exceeding £500, as well as of all hotels and restaurants must of necessity occupy some time. The schedules will later on be issued in respect of all other houses with a view to the completion of the register of annual licence values as required by the Act, and it is intended to complete the register as soon as possible.
§ Mr. GEORGE YOUNGERIs the right hon. Gentleman bearing in mind that we have only got nine months of the financial year to run from now, and that there is a monumental work in front of the Excise Department; and is it really not necessary to hurry up?
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI would remind the hon. Gentleman that it is no fault of the Government that there are only nine months left. Had the Bill passed in time the registers would have been completed by now.
§ Mr. GEORGE YOUNGERThe right hon. Gentleman did not bring in his Bill in time.
§ Mr. LLOYD GEORGEI am only calling attention to the fact that the Bill ought to have passed in December of last year.