§ 3. Mr. H. Hyndasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if, in view of the fact that 65,000 spectators recently attended a mid-week motor cycle speedway meeting at Wembley Stadium, where mid-week greyhound racing with much smaller attendances is prohibited, and that on Wednesday, 14th May, 15,066 people attended a football match at Bradford, he proposes to reconsider his almost complete ban on mid-week greyhound racing.
§ Mr. HyndIs my right hon. Friend aware that the total estimated attendance at the mid-week racing at Ascot last week was about one million, and does he assume that all producers attend greyhound racing and that the people who attend all these other things are non-producers?
§ Mr. HyndIn view of the untenable position of this matter, will the Home Secretary be prepared to receive a deputation about it?
§ Mr. EdeI have received the organisers of greyhound racing in the country from time to time. If they desire to see me again, I am always available
§ Sir Wavell WakefieldHas the Home Secretary any idea what time in the afternoon or the evening these gatherings referred to in the Question took place, and is there any evidence at all that production was interfered with in any way?
§ Mr. EdeNo, I could not give an answer to the first part of that supplementary question without notice. I have no doubt that to some extent production was interfered with, but there was a reason why the particular football match was held on that afternoon.
§ 9. Mr. Harold Daviesasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that mid-week evening greyhound racing has been banned in Stoke-on-Trent, but is permitted in Chester, with the result that special omnibuses are being run in the evenings from Stoke-on-Trent to Chester; and if he will review the position in order to allow evening greyhound race meetings in Stoke-on-Trent
§ Mr. EdeNo, Sir. I am informed that special licences for bus services have not been issued, or existing licences for tours and excursions used, for this purpose On one occasion 58 persons went under a private hire arrangement.
§ Mr. DaviesWhilst thanking my right hon. Friend for that answer, may I ask if he is prepared to review this situation in the near future, because it seems there is some discrimination between industrial and non-industrial districts so far as this bar is concerned, irrespective of the merits of it from the point of view of fairness?
§ Mr. EdeI have this matter continually under review, I receive and consider representations from time to time, and I endeavour to act according to the weight of evidence which is placed in front of me.