SUNDAY ENTERTAINMENTS [MONEY] (Hansard, 6 May 1969)

§ Sir Cyril Black (Wimbledon)

I believe I can be entirely uncontroversial in what I say on this Motion. The situation, I understand, is that this Money Resolution would provide for the expenses of a local option poll in Wales to be met in the event of the Sunday Entertainments Bill, which begins in Committee on Thursday, passing into law in its present form.

First, the House is almost exactly equally divided in regard to the Bill. Second, I understand that the Government have made clear that they take an entirely neutral view of the Bill and regard it as one for hon. Members themselves to decide upon. There is an Amendment on the Notice Paper, which will in due course be considered by the Committee, to extend the right of local option poll regarding Sunday entertainments to England in the same way as the Bill would make provision for local option in Wales and Monmouthshire. It is possible that, in its wisdom, the Committee—and, later, the House—will decide that it is right to extend local option in England as well as to Wales and Monmouthshire. My question is this: why 418 is England not covered by the Money Resolution?

§ The Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Merlyn Rees)

The hon. Member for Wimbledon (Sir C. Black) is right to say that the Government are neutral in this matter. We have not yet discussed it, and we are to begin this week. He is right also to direct attention to Clause 5 of the Bill, which, as he knows, since he has been concerned in these matters for a number of years now, is modelled on the provisions of the Licensing Act, 1964.

Polls will be held only at the request of the local government electors. It is impossible to make an accurate assessment of the expenditure which might be involved. If polls were held this year in every county and county borough in Wales and Monmouthshire, the cost could be estimated at between £50,000 and £100,000; but polls held in subsequent years would not necessarily be so costly.

The cost of the polls is included in the general expenditure of local authorities qualifying for rate support grant. I realise that the hon. Gentleman is concerned about England, but I should like to state the general position. The total amount of rate support grant is fixed by order two years in advance of the year in which it is payable, and it cannot be increased save in special circumstances, which would not apply in this case.

There will, therefore, be no increase in overall Government expenditure. What it boils down to is that local authorities which have a poll will have to meet the cost within their present expenditure, except that in Wales they can draw on the resources element because most of Wales has a less than average rate per head. So the first point is that there is no additional expenditure as a result of doing it, and the Bill as it stands at present deals only with Wales in this respect.

As to the precise question which the hon. Gentleman asked, the Financial Resolution must refer to the Bill as it stands. If the Bill is amended at a later stage, the Financial Resolution will itself need amendment later on.