HC Deb 28 November 1945 vol 416 cc1319-20
56. Lieut.-Colonel Walker-Smith

asked the Minister of Food the grounds for refusal of a catering licence to the Barnet Young Conservative Youth Centre.

Sir B. Smith

Owing to the shortage of food no licences are at present being granted to clubs such as that mentioned by the hon. Member which did not previously provide catering facilities unless real hardship would be caused if the licence were withheld.

Lieut.-Colonel Walker-Smith

Is it not a fact that this licence was twice unanimously recommended by the local food committee, and that every other youth centre was granted a catering licence on that occasion?

Sir B. Smith

These licences are only granted where the Minister of Education recommends them. [Laughter] I repeat that. I am not looking after any one political party on this issue, and in this case I am advised that I shall be unable to give a licence without adding many hundreds of others.

Lieut.-Colonel Walker-Smith

Will the Minister say whether the Leicester Road Club in Barnet has not a licence, and whether that Club is not run by the chairman of the Labour Party?

Mr. Speaker

I must remind the hon. and gallant Member that the rules for questions apply to supplementary questions, and these lay down that a question must not contain inferences or imputations.

Sir T. Moore

Is the Minister of Education frightened of the youth of Barnet being educated in Conservative principles?

Forward to