§ 11. Colonel BURNasked whether, under the existing law, anyone who has taken out a game licence for fourteen days on payment of £1 may obtain a full year's licence on payment of an additional £2 provided the latter is paid within the current fourteen days; and whether such person applying after the expiry of the four teen days has to pay the full licence?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY of the TREASURY (Mr. Masterman)The holder of an occasional game licence for fourteen days is not entitled by law to claim any abatement of duty on his taking out a full year's licence. But I understand that it has been for many years the general practice of the authorities responsible for the administration of the Game Licence Duties to grant allowance as a matter of grace and favour of the duty on an occasional game licence when it is exchanged during its currency for a full year's licence. The responsible authorities are the county councils and county borough councils in England and Wales, and the Board of Customs and Excise in Scotland and Ireland.
§ Colonel BURNMight I ask the right hon. Gentleman if it is not grotesque, or at any rate an anomaly, that the—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member can form his own opinion about the grotesque-ness of the matter.