§ 39. Mr. RODGERasked the Secretary for Scotland if, in connection with the Temperance (Scotland) Act, 1913, he will prepare and issue a list of voting areas, including parishes divided into separate areas, Section 15, Area (c), and wards in burghs comprised into one area, Section 15, Area (a), showing in each case the number of licences (public-houses, grocers, etc.); the estimated population; and the number of voters; and indicating areas where county councils or town councils have passed resolutions under Section 43 (18) of the Representation of the People Act, 1918, resolving not to distinguish local government electors in the spring or autumn register or both?
§ Mr. MUNROI am prepared to have a table compiled and issued giving a list of "Areas" as defined in Section 15 of the Temperance (Scotland) Act, 1913, and, so far as practicable, the population of each "Area" according to the last Census. As the Register of Electors eligible for the purpose of polling under the Act will not be prepared, generally speaking, until later in the present year, it is impossible at present to give the number of such electors. I am prepared, however, to include in the table the number of electors in each "Area" for the purposes of a requisition under Section 5, together with the information referred to in the last part of my hon. Friend's question. Statistics showing the number of licences in all "Areas" could only be obtained by means of a special return involving much labour, and I do not feel able, as at present advised, to include such statistics in the proposed table. My hon. Friend will remember that statistics relating to the areas of burghs having separate licensing courts and counties are published in the Annual Reports on the Judicial Statistics of Scotland.