§ 19. Mr. Macquistenasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that to enable prosecutions to be instituted for breaches of the no-treating regulation in the last war, it was the practice of the police to spend their Saturday afternoons in plain clothes in licensed premises to order beer and claim the cost thereof from the chief constable, who was advised of the practice, thereby committing breaches of the no-treating regulations; that this practice and all prosecutions ceased on public exposure in the court and Press; and will he see that no resurrection of any such regulation takes place now?
§ Mr. ColvilleI can assure my hon. and learned Friend that if further restrictions on the sale or consumption of alcoholic liquor become necessary the experience gained in the course of the last war will be borne in mind.
§ Mr. MacquistenIs my right hon. Friend not aware that this is a very grave matter; that two constables visited 44 licensed premises and bought 44 half-pints of beer; that in Leith the following week there were 15 visitations; that most of the witnesses were busily engaged in aircraft instruction and were very indignant at having their time wasted upon a trivial matter of this kind, and that they were asking whether the Government were mad?