§ Mr. JOHN MURRAYasked the Minister of Labour whether a staff of forty-one persons is maintained in the Yorkshire district, and corresponding staffs in other districts, for the sole purpose of considering applications for licences to open retail businesses; and, if so, whether this work could be more economically provided for in some other way?
§ Sir R. HORNEThe total staff engaged in the administration of the Retail Business (Licensing) Order in the Yorkshire and East Midlands Division is forty-two, divided among ten separate centres and covering the counties of Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire. The staff was recently taken over, with the work, from the Ministry of National Service. I have already given instructions for an investigation of its future requirements; and if any reduction of staff is found practicable it will be made.