§ 2. Mr. DAYasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give the number of registered clubs in England and Wales on the 1st January, 1928; how many new clubs have been granted licences in the Metropolitan police area for the previous 12 months; and the number of these clubs that are within a radius of one mile from Charing Cross?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir William Joynson-Hicks)I must refer the hon. Member to the Annual Volumes of Licensing Statistics which contain all available information as regards registered clubs from year to year, except that I can say that in the year 1927 (the Volume for which is in preparation) 198 clubs were registered as against 156 closed in the Metropolitan Police District, and the figure of registered clubs in England and Wales was 12,480 as on the 1st January, 1927. I cannot answer the first and last parts of the Question.
§ Mr. DAYCan the right hon. Gentleman say how many of these clubs in the West End were night clubs?
Viscountess ASTORDoes the Home Secretary not think that there are enough drinking clubs registered already without registering any more?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat question does not arise.