HC Deb 24 June 1913 vol 54 cc957-8
20. Sir J. D. REES

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that a comparison of the Liquor Licence Duties for the years 1908–9 and 1911–12 in respect of Nottingham and Dublin shows an increase of £16,830 in respect of the former, as compared with an increase of £2,100 in respect of the latter city, as regards retail licences for on-consumption, while the increase in regard to off-consumption licences in Nottingham is just double that of Dublin, the total increase in both classes of licences in Nottingham being £18,325, as against an increase of £2,850 in Dublin, though the population of Dublin and the number of licences granted therein are largely in excess of those of Nottingham; if he will state what is the reason for the difference; whether statistics are being maintained for purposes of comparison in respect of all cities in the United Kingdom with over 250,000 inhabitants, in order that information may be available for establishing a just incidence of duties in Ireland and England; and whether he will consider the desirability of such readjustment, in view of the fact that the whole of Ireland with 20,191 pays £476 less than Nottingham with 1,092 licensed premises?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER (Mr. Lloyd George)

I am aware that the hon. Member's figures may be arrived at from a comparison of the provisional figures given in the Return of Liquor Licence Duties (House of Commons Paper No. 217 of 1912). The sum of £476 mentioned in the question relates, of course, to the increase in the yield of the duties, and not to the total yield. The larger figures for the increase in respect of retail licences in Nottingham are due to the fact that the licensed houses in that city have generally higher annual values than those in Dublin. The proceeds of the Liquor Licence Duties in Scotland and Ireland have not, in the past, been recorded for cities, and in England they are no longer recorded in administrative areas, for the reasons explained in the reply which I gave the right hon. Gentleman the, Member for East Worcestershire on the 1st May last. As regards the last part of the question, I can only repeat what I have already said on more than one occasion, that the increase in the duties is bearing lightly on Ireland, because the large majority of the licensed houses are of a low annual value.