HC Deb 02 March 1927 vol 203 cc380-1
57. Colonel Sir ARTHUR HOLBROOK

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give instructions for fuller detail to be incorporated in the annual accounts of the State Management District under the Licensing Act, 1921, in particular giving specific information under the following heads: the extent of the area covered in which the licensed houses are exclusively under State management; the number of licensed houses under State management outside the area above referred to, in what towns they are situated, and the proportion in such towns which the State-managed houses bear to the privately-managed houses; in the profit and loss account the amounts referred to without detail in previous accounts as deductions from the trading accounts balance, under the following headings: rent, repairs, and alterations, licence and other duties (beer, spirits, etc.), taxes (other than Income Tax (Schedule D)), rates (or contributions in lieu thereof), managerial and architectural staff, depreciation of plant, and furnishings and utensils; where, instead of rates, contributions in lieu thereof are paid, the basis of assessing such contributions; the total amount of depreciation written off licensed houses' capital account; details of the items comprised in the sum allocated in the accounts to headquarters' administrative expenses; the licence duties paid in respect of the licensed houses; and payments to the compensation fund under the Licensing (Consolidation) Act, 1910, made in respect to the State-managed licensed premises in towns where some of the houses are under such management?

Captain HACKING

I am not sure that all the items asked for by my hon. and gallant Friend can properly be shown in the accounts to which he refers: but my right hon. Friend will consider carefully all his suggestions before any further accounts or report are issued.

Sir A. HOLBROOK

Can the hon. and gallant Gentleman say what would have been the receipts by way of tax and super-tax if the houses under management were in private ownership, and whether these taxes would be more than the profits now claimed to be made?

Captain HACKING

I am not sure that these two matters are mentioned in the question.