§ 26. Mr. KINGasked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention has been given to the proceedings of the Stepney Local Tribunals and the number of exemptions given there to licensed victuallers; whether he is aware that the military representative has stated that licensed victuallers appear to be the only exempted occupation in Stepney, and that the licensed trade has undue weight on this tribunal; whether he will instruct this tribunal to extend equal consideration to other small tradesmen who have worked hard to build up their businesses, and who now are being informed by this tribunal that they ought to sell up and get into the Army, and whether he will make it known to all tribunals that the licensed trade has no special claims for exemption which are not equally applicable to other businesses?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOARD (Mr. Hayes Fisher)My right hon. Friend 478 has made inquiry of the Stepney Tribunals, and on the information supplied there does not appear to be any justification for any of the statements made in the question.
§ Mr. KINGDoes the right hon. Gentleman know that at least one-fifteenth of the members of this tribunal are in the licensed trade, and does not that introduce an undue proportion?
§ Mr. HAYES FISHERThere is no justification, so far as we can ascertain, for a single one of the statements in the question, and this is one of the statements. I believe that no members of the licensed trade are on this tribunal.