§ 56. Mr. Turtonasked the Minister of Food what house charge he has licensed the Government Hospitality Centre in Park Street, London, to levy; and on what grounds he granted the licence.
§ Mr. StracheyThe house charges are 3s. 6d. for luncheon and 6s. for dinner. The licence was granted to enable guests to obtain service comparable to that provided by establishments of similar standing which have similar house charges.
§ Mr. TurtonCan the right hon. Gentleman explain why private undertakings have been refused such licences because they could not prove their business functioned before the war and that before the war they charged more than 5s. 6d. for a meal? Why is there discrimination in favour of a nationalised undertaking?
§ Mr. StracheyNo, there is no discrimination; some house charges have been given in one or two similar cases.
§ Viscount HinchingbrookeIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that whatever house charge he makes, it is entirely fictitious and arbitrary, because in this case the taxpayer pays for the house charge, the revenue, and the deficit?
§ Mr. StracheyI do not accept what the noble Lord says.
§ Mr. TurtonHas the right hon. Gentleman now changed the rules about refusing licences to new applicants who could not prove that they were established before the war?
§ Mr. StracheyWe have always retained discretion in this matter.