§ Mr. MOONEYasked the Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a Return as to licensed premises in England, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland, in continuation of Parliamentary Paper, No. 408, of Session 1902, ordered by the House of Commons on 19th October, 1909, on the Motion of the hon. Member for Newry, has not yet been printed; whether he is aware that Parliamentary Paper, No. 408, of Session 1902, was printed nine months from the date on which it was ordered, being ordered on 18th March, 1902, and printed on 19th December, 1902; and if he can explain why the Treasury have allowed an interval of two years to elapse without complying with the Order of this House in reference to the Order of 19th October, 1909?
Mr. McKINNON WOODThis Return is now in the press, and will be issued in three weeks or a month from now. I regret the delay which has occurred, but the Return is very bulky, and takes a long time to prepare even in 520 normal times—for instance, the Return of 1902, to which the hon. Member refers, though ordered by the House, and ordered to be printed on the dates mentioned, was not issued till 13th June, 1903, or fifteen months after the original order. As stated in answer to the hon. Member on 20th February last, the ordinary work of the Customs and Excise Department has been particularly severe in the last two years, and it has only been possible to undertake this Return by overtime work.