§ Mr. Johnstonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that citizens in the licensing area of Ayr, having exercised their statutory right to tender signatures in opposition to the renewal of a particular public-house licence in Ayr, have been visited by a police detective and subjected to interrogation as to their reasons for so objecting; under what statutory authority the chief constable of Ayr has made this interrogation; and whether, as many of the citizens interrogated now feel intimidated from any further exercise of their statutory rights to make representations to the licencing authority, he intends to take any steps in the matter?
§ Mr. ElliotI have been in communication with the Licensing Court and the chief constable regarding the matters referred to. I am informed that the petition against the renewal of the licence in question was referred in accordance with the usual practice to the chief constable by the clerk to the Licensing Court and that the signatories were visited by an officer in plain clothes in order that the chief constable might be in a position to774W make a report on the facts to the court. As regards the last part of the question I do not think that the action taken would reasonably be regarded as being open to the objection mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman. I may add that renewal of the licence was in fact refused by the court after inquiry into the condition of the premises.