HC Deb 16 May 1911 vol 25 cc1866-7

The other alteration I propose to make is ill the Liquor Licence Duties. There is a charge now made in respect of liquor licences in respect of areas which are in no sense part of the premises in which intoxicating liquors are sold. A case which was raised repeatedly in this House was that known as the case of the "remote stable," a stable which has nothing whatever to do with the premises. So long as the duties were low it did not really matter very much one way or the other, but now that the duties have been increased it may make a very considerable difference, and a licensee may be paying in respect of premises which are used by him for a totally different business—a business having nothing to do with his licence for the sale of intoxicating liquors. We propose to modify this condition. The provision has to be carefully drafted, otherwise it may be done in such a way as to let out the whole of my revenue. Therefore I hope the Committee will not press me at the present moment for the actual terms in which the modifications will be announced. I have the draft here, but I have not examined it sufficiently to read out to the House exactly what is involved. It will involve a loss to the Revenue of at least £50,000, so that there is £45,000 for cocoa and another £50,000 for licences.

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