§ 38. Sir Waldron Smithersasked the Minister of Works on what system of allocation and priority were the licences of a total value of £68,610 issued since July, 1945, for the "Daily Worker" offices in Farringdon Street made; and what considerations governed the issue of these licences.
§ Mr. StokesThe original licence was granted in 1945, on the strong support of the Ministry of Information, because the "Daily Worker's" original premises were destroyed during the war. Subsequent licences were issued mainly because structural defects became apparent and the London County Council insisted on certain work for safety reasons.
§ Sir W. SmithersWhy is it necessary, when so many British families want homes and cannot get building licences, to grant licences to an organisation which is trying to upset our constitution?
§ Mr. StokesI do not propose to go into the question of political discrimination. My responsibility is to issue licences where responsible authorities ask for them. In this case the L.C.C. asked for them for the particular reasons I stated in my answer, and the licences were granted as a matter of course.