§ 37. Mr. Barrasked the Home Secretary whether he will take action to stop, or restrict, the volume of betting transactions as being injurious to the nation's war effort, particularly in view of the recent case where a turf accountant gave evidence that his firm had had commitments amounting to £300,000 on the St. Leger alone?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonRace meetings have been drastically restricted in the interests of the war effort and the reduction in the number of meetings may no doubt have resulted in the concentration of a large volume of bets on any particular meeting. Whatever arguments there may be on social grounds for amending the laws relating to betting, I do not think that on my present information the Government would be justified in using for this purpose their special war powers.
§ Mr. BarrDoes the Minister realise that in the court the man made a plea that this was an essential journey and that he had to take a motor car all the way from Liverpool Street to Newmarket, because the firm had commitments amounting to £300,000 on the St. Leger, £12,000 of which was on one horse; and even taking the position which he has indicated, is this not quite an abnormal fact to occur in war-time, or almost at any time, in the disposal of money?
§ Mr. MorrisonI think that my hon. Friend's Supplementary Question turns on the use of motor transport and petrol for the purpose, and that would be a question for my right hon. and gallant Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power.