§ 107 and 108. Mr. CURRIEasked the Minister of Munitions (1) whether his attention has been drawn to allegations that within recent months the practice has increased amongst those with whom excessive drinking is either a temptation or a habit of carrying on the person a flat-shaped or other easily portable and concealed flasks of spirits; whether he will consider the practicability of curtailing this habit at least temporarily, locally, and .so far as anyone ever convicted of any 896 offence before any Court or tribunal is concerned, by forbidding the carrying of such a flask without a licence to be granted on medical certificate only; and whether his Department has ample power to issue an order to this effect without further emergency legislation; and (2) whether he is aware that the habit exists amongst drunkards and ethers of consuming spirits along with or immediately after beer; whether this habit is regarded by his Department as the cause of much actual drunkenness; whether his Department has power under existing emergency legislation to render both the sale and the purchase of spirits for consumption in this way illegal and punishable; whether, if so, or in any case, he will consider the practicability of authorising or requesting licensing authorities in controlled areas to endeavour to come to a collective understanding with their licensees regarding it; whether representations have reached him from licensees to the effect that the present state of the law renders it difficult for them to decline to serve spirits for such a purpose unless they are prepared to prove in a Court of Law that the purchaser was under the influence of drink; and whether he has any information showing that the majority of licence-holders would gladly co-operate in such an attempt to discourage the habit in question?
§ Dr. ADDISONI am informed that allegations to the effect stated in the questions have been made, and I am asking the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) to consider my hon. Friend's suggestions.