HL Deb 19 July 1916 vol 22 cc829-31

Order of the Day for the House to be put into Committee read.

Moved, That the House do now resolve itself into Committee.—(Lord Stanmore.)

On Question, Motion agreed to.

House in Committee accordingly.

[Lord BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH in the Chair.]

Clauses 1 to 4 agreed to.

Clause 5:

Supply of beer to free licensed houses.

5.—(1) Any licence-holder in so far as he is not bound by any covenant, agreement, or undertaking to obtain a supply of beer from any particular brewer, and who has at any time during the year ended the thirty-first day of March, nineteen hundred and sixteen, been supplied with beer by any brewer or brewers, shall be entitled to obtain from such brewer or brewers particulars of the number of bulk barrels of each description of beer supplied and also a certificate or certificates stating the total number of standard barrels represented by the beer supplied during each quarter of the year ended the thirty-first day of March, nineteen hundred and sixteen, or such shorter period as the supply has continued.

(2) The licence-holder shall after forwarding any such certificate to the Commissioners be entitled to obtain the same number of standard barrels (reduced by fifteen per cent.) from any other brewer who may be willing to supply him therewith, and in every such case the maximum barrelage of the brewer ceasing to supply the licence-holder shall be reduced by the amount stated in the certificate (less fifteen per cent.), and that amount shall be transferred to the brewer who has undertaken to supply: Provided that where the licence-holder is himself a brewer for sale the certificate shall not be used to obtain a transfer of barrelage to himself.

(3) In this section the expression "licence-holder" means the holder of an Excise licence authorizing the sale of beer whether wholesale or by retail; and includes, where any licensed premises have changed hands, the licence-holder for the time being; and where any premises on which beer is sold are under the management of the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic), the Central Control Board, and where the holder of the licence is a manager managing the licensed premises on behalf of any other person or a tenant of any other person who controls the ordering of beer for the premises, the person who so controls the ordering of the beer.

(4) This section shall apply to registered clubs and to canteens held under the authority of the Secretary of State or the Admiralty as it applies to licensed premises, with the substitution of the person managing the club or canteen for the licence-holder.

Amendments moved—

Clause 5, page 3, line 41, (subsection (1)), after ("entitled") insert ("on giving not less than fourteen days' notice in writing")

Clause 5, page 4, line 8 (subsection (2)), after ("obtain") insert ("during any corresponding quarter to which this Act applies")

Clause 5, page 4, line 17 at end of subsection (2), insert ("and that where a certificate forwarded under this section relates to any quarter in which the licence-holder is supplied with beer by the brewer from whom he obtained the certificate, the number of barrels which he is entitled to obtain from another brewer, and which are transferred accordingly, shall be reduced by the quantity with which he is so supplied")

Clause 5, page 4, line 29, leave out from ("clubs") in the first line of subsection (4) to ("as") in line 31.

Clause 5, page 4, line 32, leave out ("or canteen").—(Lord Stanmore.)

On Question, Amendments agreed to.

Clause 5, as amended, agreed to.

Amendment moved— After Clause 5, insert as a new clause:

Special provision as to beer for canteens in Ireland.

. The Board of Trade may, at the request of the Army Council, grant a special certificate to any brewer in Ireland authorising him to brew beer in excess of the limits prescribed by this Act if the addition is required for the use of military canteens in Ireland, and the amount of beer which that brewer is entitled to brew shall thereupon be increased by the number of barrels stated in the; certificate, and this Act shall have effect accordingly.—(Lord Stanmore.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

Remaining clauses agreed to.

The Report of Amendments to be received to-morrow.