HC Deb 26 May 1921 vol 142 cc314-5
57. Sir J. BUTCHER

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as presenting the Central Liquor Control Board, whether he is now in a position to publish, in the form of a White Paper or otherwise, the modifications which has been recently made in the regulations of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic)?

The UNDER-SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Baird)

Copies of the recent Orders issued by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic), which have been distributed throughout the country, are now available for Members in the Vote Office. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a copy of the statement published by the Board in explanation of these Orders.

The following is the statement indicated:— The Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) have made Orders dated 25th April and operating on Monday, 2nd May, applicable to all Scheduled Areas in England and Wales consolidating the existing Orders and amending them in the following particulars:—
  1. (1) The prohibition of the sale and supply of spirits for consumption off the premises on Saturday is removed, and such sale and supply during the midday period (12 to 2.30 p.m.) on that day is allowed.
  2. (2) The provision which fixes a reputed quart as the minimum quantity of spirits which may be sold for off consumption together, with the requirement as to the labelling of bottles, is revoked.
  3. (3) The hours after 10 p.m. for which magistrates (or, in London, the Commissioner of Police) may grant an Order or licence in pursuance of Section 57 or Section 64 of the Licensing (Consolidation) Act, 1910, are extended beyond the present limit of 11 p.m.
  4. (4) The extent to which spirits may be diluted without notice to the purchaser is limited to a strength falling between 30 degrees and 35 degrees under proof.
  5. (5) The sale of intoxicating liquor to authorised messes of officers or noncommissioned officers is exempted from the operation of the Order.
  6. (6) The requirement that copies of the Board's Orders must be exhibited in every club and in every public room in licensed premises is revoked, and a requirement that copies must be kept on the premises and produced on demand is substituted therefor.
 These Orders were published in the London Gazette of 26th April, and corresponding Orders have been made for Scheduled Areas in Scotland. The Government have now announced that no legislation of any kind upon the subject will be possible during the present Session, and they have agreed that the relaxations contained in the Orders now published, which have been held over in the expectation that the whole matter was about to be dealt with by Parliament more comprehensively and authoritatively than could be done by the Board, should be made without further delay. The Board will now proceed to consider what further modifications can properly be made in view of the Government's announcement.