§ Sir WILLIAM BULLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the number of tobacco manufacturers' licences issued during the year ended 31st March, 1910, was 383 as compared with 407 during the corresponding period ended 31st March, 1909; whether in the year 1910 there was a decrease of 6,737 in the number of retailers' licences issued as compared with an increase of 4,177 in the number of those licences issued in the year 1909; and if he can say approximately what is the number of employés thrown out of employment by this decrease in the number of licences?
§ Mr. ILLINGWORTH (Lord of the Treasury, for Mr. Hobhouse)So far as the numbers of licences are conerned, I will refer the hon. Member to the reply of my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Mile End on 20th March. I know no reason to suppose that any employés have been thrown out of employment by the decrease in the number of licences. The available information suggests that employment in the tobacco trade as improving.