§ 11.15 a.m.
Lord JANNERMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the second Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to implement Recommendation 15.23 of the Report of the Departmental Committee on Liquor Licensing for the disposal of the licensing compensation funds which now amount to £4,000,000.
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, implementation of this recommendation would require legislation and would need to be considered in the light of the Erroll Committee's other recommendations. The Government are pressing ahead with their review of these recommendations but I can see little prospect of legislation being introduced in the near future.
Lord JANNERMy Lords, does the noble Lord not realise that this is an absurd position? A sum of £4,200,000 has been lying aside ever since the last war. Licensing compensation committees sit regularly each year for the purpose of deciding how to invest this money. Nobody is benefiting from it, and can this sum not be taken by itself and dealt with at once? It is absurd that no action has been taken here when this money could be used for extremely useful purposes. Will the noble Lord be good enough to consult with the licensing trade itself on what steps should be taken so that the money can be used for proper purposes?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, it is obviously possible to deal with this particular recommendation of the Erroll Committee in isolation, but, having looked at this matter fairly carefully, and 1570 given that it has an impact on a number of other recommendations of the Erroll Committee, I find at the moment that it is difficult to see a way through.
Lord JANNERMy Lords, with the greatest respect, may I ask my noble friend what possible impact anything else in the recommendations of the Eroll Committee can have on this matter? So far as I can see, this matter is entirely separate from anything else in those recommendations, and you cannot keep £4,200,000 idle for another 30 years.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONECan you not!
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, although it would be imprudent to offer any particular guarantee about the time scale for handling the recommendations of the Erroll Commit tee, I think one would indeed have to be a pessimist to say that one would not be taking action until a further 30 years had elapsed.
Lord PAGET of NORTHAMPTONMy Lords, would the noble Lord agree that an unemployed £4,000,000 is a small but useful contribution to the Government's anti-inflationary policy?
Lord JANNERMy Lords, would my noble friend consider supporting a Private Member's Bill to deal with this question?
§ Lord HARRIS of GREENWICHMy Lords, I should not wish to give a guarantee on that particular matter, but I will certainly look into it.