§ 13. Mr. W. THORNEasked the Minister of Munitions whether the Central Control Board have under contemplation an Order for the county of Berkshire; whether he will state the numbers of persons proceeded against for drunkenness in that county in 1914 and 1915, respectively; how do the convictions for drunkenness per 10,000 of the population in this county compare with the average of all the counties of England and Wales; and how do the convictions in Reading compare with the average of the county boroughs?
§ Dr. ADDISONAn Order for part of Berkshire, including Reading, which will come into operation on Monday, the 28th instant, was made last Thursday. The figures of convictions for drunkenness, so far as at present published, can be ascertained from the Licensing Statistics, 1914 (Cd. 7981 of 1915). I may say that military requirements due to the existence of large training camps in this district have made the Order necessary.
§ Sir J. D. REESMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether the reason he does not quote these figures is that they are not favourable for the action taken?
§ Dr. ADDISONThey are not in the least applicable. This district is occupied now by a large number of soldiers who are not there in peace time.
§ Mr. ASHLEYAre the restrictions only applied to districts where munition workers are employed or where there is an abnormal number of troops?
§ Dr. ADDISONNot necessarily, but this particular Order was in accordance with the request of the military authorities.
§ 14. Mr. THORNEasked the Minister of Munitions whether, during the Parliamentary vacation, Control Board Closing Orders had been applied to the Manchester and Grimsby districts; whether in both these districts there had been a reduction of convictions for drunkenness without any Control Board Order being made; whether in both cases the responsible local authorities opposed the Order; and will he briefly state the special facts which made such Orders necessary?
§ Dr. ADDISONThe answer to the first paragraph of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the other parts I am informed that the conditions which made such Orders necessary were similar in nature to those which led to the application of Orders to other areas, where they have been productive of the greatest benefit, both as to temperance and as to efficiency.
§ Sir J. D. REESWill the hon. Gentleman say why he does not answer the question whether responsible local authorities are opposed to the Order?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have already answered that question in full detail on more than one occasion. There were three or four representative bodies representing a large number of different public authorities.
§ 15. Mr. THORNEasks at what date is it proposed to present to Parliament a full Report of the evidence taken at the Middlesex Guildhall on 1st October last on which the No-Treating and Closing Orders were made in the Metropolitan area; and at what date will the evidence concerning the Manchester inquiry be presented to the House?
§ Dr. ADDISONI regret that I can add nothing to the reply given to the hon. Member for Tower Hamlets on the 16th December last.
§ 16. Mr. THORNEasked the Minister of Munitions whether he is aware that in a case heard at Workington a licensee and his wife were fined 20s. and 10s. respectively, for supplying a small quantity of 405 spirits on a medical certificate, dated in November, and that on the hearing of the case the chairman stated that a doctor's certificate that spirit was required as medicine was only good on the day of issue; and what steps will he take to amend a regulation which presses hardly on the poorest section of the population?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have not heard of the case referred to in the question, but if my hon. Friend will send me full particulars, I will ask the Central Control Board to inquire into the matter.
§ 17. Mr. THORNEasked the Minister of Munitions at what rate are the members of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) remunerated for their services, and what is the remuneration of the chairman and secretary; whether he is aware that 400,000 Metropolitan trade unionists and club members have protested against the Orders; and whether he is prepared to nominate to the Board a representative of the trade unionists who are opposed to the Orders in their present form?
§ Dr. ADDISONNo remuneration is paid to the chairman or to the members of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) for their services; the remuneration of the secretary consists of the salary paid to him by the Government Department from which he has been lent to the Control Board. The Minister of Munitions is not aware that 400,000 Metropolitan trade unionists and club members have protested against the Orders. The hon. Member is probably aware that two prominent labour representatives are members of the Board. My right hon. Friend does not see what would be gained by the adoption of the suggestion made in the last paragraph of the question.
§ Sir J. D. REESIs not one labour representative on the Board an advocate of extreme temperance tinder all conditions?
§ Dr. ADDISONI am not responsible for the hon. Member's views, but I have no doubt those views are subject to general criticism, as well as those of other Members.