HC Deb 06 December 1951 vol 494 cc2559-60

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper:

78. Mr. GRÆME FINLAY

,—TO ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will initiate legislation to repeal the provisions of the Licensing Act, 1949, about State management of public houses in new towns.

Mr. Speaker

I understand that the Home Secretary desires to answer Question No. 78.

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

Yes, Sir, with your permission and that of the House. The answer is: Yes, Sir, the Government propose to introduce legislation to repeal those provisions of the Licensing Act, 1949, which extended State management to new towns—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh!"]—and to make the development corporation and the licensing authority jointly responsible for deciding how many new licences, or removals of licences, should be granted in each new town.

Mr. James Callaghan

Is it not remarkable that the Government can find time to fiddle about with this sort of thing when they can give us no assurances about the operation of the school-leaving age?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

The hon. Gentleman obviously does not live in a new town, and does not appreciate the amenities that are there required.

Mr. James Hudson

On what grounds does the right hon. and learned Gentleman propose to proceed with this legislation, especially since, first, during the Election, his party made no statement of this sort in their promises, and, second, the only statement that was put forward in the Election was on behalf of the liquor trade itself? Do the Tory Government carry out only what the liquor trade wants?

Sir D. Maxwell Fyfe

The first answer to the hon. Gentleman is that this matter was put forward by my party at the General Election. [HON. MEMBERS: "When?"] The answer to his second point is that the suggestions which I have put forward differ in an essential and important particular from those that have been suggested by the brewers. On the third point which the hon. Gentleman asked me, I believe that State management is not the machinery to deal properly with scattered areas of this kind, and that the size and style and planning of the public houses can be left to the development corporation with the assistance of the licensing justices.

Several Hon. Members rose

—

Mr. Speaker

Order. I would remind the House that we are to have a Bill on this matter. We may defer debate on it until then