HC Deb 19 August 1919 vol 119 cc2129-30
35. Mr. RAFFAN

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether a commission on the sale of food and non-intoxicating liquors was paid to all managers of licensed premises in the Carlisle area under the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic); and, if so, whether he would supply a list of the licensed premises selling liquor for consumption on the premises in the city of Carlisle and state the amount which the commission on the sale of food and temperance drinks yielded to each manager in the year 1918?

Mr. KELLAWAY

In most of the houses under the direct control of the Board, both in Carlisle and in the surrounding district, a commission on the sale of food and non-intoxicants is given to the Board's managers, in some cases the manager being allowed the whole of the profit on the sale of food. My hon. Friend will find par- ticulars on the subject in the fourth Report of the Board and in the Report of the Board's general manager for the Carlisle and district area for 1918, both of which have been published as Parliamentary Papers (Cd. 9055 and Cmd. 137). I am sending my hon. Friend copies.

Lieut.-Colonel THORNE

Will the hon. Gentleman tell us what was the net profit made in the Carlisle area for 19181?

Mr. KELLAWAY

I do not carry the figures in my mind, but the result can be found in the Report.

Sir J. D. REES

May I ask why Carlisle continues to be the subject of exceptional experiments in this behalf. Is the hon. Gentleman aware what a dreary place they have made of it?

Mr. KELLAWAY

My experience does not correspond with that of my hon. Friend. I have found it a rather cheerful neighbourhood.

Sir J. D. REES

What is the reason for continuing to make Carlisle the subject of continual experiments, to which other places are not subjected?

Mr. KELLAWAY

The experiment at Carlisle has proved to be successful. The general question of the policy to be followed in this area will be dealt with when the Government's general policy with regard to the liquor traffic is decided.

Sir J. D. REES

Is Carlisle a kind of corpus vile on which experiments arc to be tried with a view of subsequent application to the rest of the country?

Mr. SPEAKER

This experiment at Carlisle has been going on for four years.